You Could See It Change
by lavendersakurasasuke
Summary: Uchiha Sasuke finds himself back in the aristocratic society of his childhood. He finds a newly grown Sakura, who is no longer a helpless little girl. As team seven reunites, they bust make their way through the upper-class while being undercover ninja. Multichap Gothic Victorian AU. Full summary inside. Sasusaku. Rated M for eventual mature content.
1. Prologue

_Hello everyone!_

 _This story was inspired mainly by the song Cigarettes in the Theatre by Two Door Cinema Club. Set in Gothic Victorian Konoha, the ninja of the village are from elite aristocratic houses. In addition to their normal ninja training, they must make their way through society to collect intel and keep the public safe. Uchiha Sasuke, the handsome young heir to the Uchiha fortune, leaves the village to train, abandoning his team and leaving Sakura heartbroken. When he returns seven years later, he discovers the woman Sakura has transformed into, and begrudgingly finds himself becoming more and more attracted to her. Meanwhile, a threat to the world's safety creates tension and chaos within their normal world. Team Seven must work together to help save the land they love, and each other._

 _I hope you enjoy!_

 _Thank you!_

 _xoxo_

* * *

 _Prologue:_

On a sunny day in February, a fight broke out in Hatake Kakashi's parlor during tea time. After extensive training with his twelve year old students, the wealthy young gentleman had invited them in for a break. It was a routine for them, and that day shouldn't have been any different. Their sensei would always open a book upon entering the parlor, and promptly sit cozily in his favorite lounge chair. Uchiha Sasuke, the sole heir and head of the Uchiha family, would stand and gaze into the fireplace, only being roused from his own thoughts when directly spoken to. Uzumaki Naruto would spend his time teasing his best friend, playing with some toy or bauble, or chattering away to the pastel pink-haired girl of their team. Haruno Sakura, a lovely young lady, always insisted on pouring the tea, and would then either flip through a few books to increase her own knowledge or make light chatter with Naruto.

That day should have been a perfectly normal one for Team Seven. The young ninja came from very wealthy families, and were chosen to become secret shinobi in their upperclass society to protect the world around them. They had a lesson that day on disguises, one that Sakura had excelled at. She was feeling over the moon after her success that day. After receiving a small smirk from Sasuke, the girl's determination to become a shinobi that could make him proud had grown. Preparing the tea merrily, the girl made a cup for her sensei while Sasuke stared into the fire and Naruto chased after a small toy that zoomed around the room. It was a recent invention comprised of cogs and wheels that enabled it to move after being wound up. When the small toy almost caused Naruto to trip, she gave him a warning to be careful. After giving Kakashi his tea, Sakura moved towards Sasuke, an angelic smile on her face.

As she approached him, she felt the toy car rush by her, and surely enough, Naruto knocked directly into her, causing the tea to spill all over her delicate white and blue sleeve and all over Sasuke's handsome gray suit. With a look of pure horror on her face, Sakura felt tears spring into her eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Sasuke-kun!" She gasped, before turning to Naruto. "Naruto, you should be more careful! You could have hurt-"

The girl was cut off instantly by Sasuke, who was snarling at Naruto. "You clumsy oaf. There are other people in this room. Maybe you should spend less time acting like an idiot, and more time training. Dobe."

While Sakura gasped, Naruto turned red in the face. "Well maybe you should stop being such a cold, unfeeling creep!" Sasuke raised his hand and began performing ninjutsu hand signals while Naruto did the same.

"Naruto! Sasuke-kun!" Sakura almost cried. "Stop!"

In a flash, Kakashi appeared in front of them, grabbing both of their hands and pulling them around to look at him. "First of all, this is my house. Do not fight inside of here. Second, you two are comrades. You are on the same team, and you should support each other. Third, you're going to make your other teammate cry." At that, both boys looked at Sakura. Tears were indeed threatening to roll down her face, and they saw how her eyes plead with them to stop fighting.

"What does it matter?" Sasuke grumbled. "I won't be here much longer anyways." At that, the Uchiha stormed out of Kakashi's parlor, through the grand hall, and slammed the front door. When Sakura turned back around, astounded and utterly at a loss for words, her Sensei looked at her kindly.

"I'm sure he'll be back tomorrow," the silver-haired man said cheerfully. "Just give him some time to cool off."

Sakura gulped and nodded, still feeling in her heart that there was something wrong. She pretended to recover, however, and continued her tea time with her sensei and knuckleheaded best friend.

Later that night, when she was putting on her nightgown for bed, Sakura thought the matter over. No matter how many times Sasuke and Naruto had fought, neither had ever stormed out, and none of them had ever expressed that they wouldn't be returning. Their fights had been incredibly volatile as of late, and it seemed as though the smallest things could put Sasuke in a foul mood. She had felt there was something changing within their team, and it wasn't something she liked.

She knew there was something wrong. Sasuke, no matter how mysterious he may be, was predictable in his habits. He was a man who liked things to be in a specific order, and he would never say something so decisive unless he really meant it. The past few months, Sasuke had been more testy and angry than normal, however. After an encounter with his brother, the boy had fallen deeper into the dark recesses of his mind. She knew that lately, he had been secretly apprenticing under Orochimaru, one of the legendary sannin, in addition to his normal Team 7 training. Orochimaru was rumored to be traveling to another country for an extended excursion, mainly because he wasn't altogether welcome in Konoha. When Sakura thought about Sasuke's words, she was able to come to a conclusion very quickly. He would be joining Orochimaru in his travels, and he had no intention of informing them. Sasuke was going to leave without consulting Konoha's elite ninja, which was typical of Orochimaru.

After discovering what Sasuke intended, Sakura's heart dropped. She had to reason with him. If Sasuke left, Team 7 would be short one member. If he left, nothing would be the same. If Sasuke left, there was no telling what would happen. If Sasuke left, he wouldn't be the same person. Who knew if he would even return?

She knew Sasuke, however. When he decided something, he would not change his mind. Something inside her told her that if she didn't go see him tonight, she wouldn't get the opportunity again. Sneaking out of her window, Sakura quietly made her way to the Uchiha mansion, a beautiful black and brick building that was topped with lightly falling snow. Seeing a candle on in his room, Sakura leapt to the roof, her heart pounding.

After hearing a quick knock on his window, Sasuke opened it to see Sakura waiting. After motioning for her to come in, the boy hid his blush at the sight of his friend in her modest, frilly nightgown by turning away pack a few remaining items into one of his bags.

"What are you doing here, Sakura?" He mumbled quietly.

"I…I suppose…" Sakura sighed, feeling resigned. "I suppose I came to see you off."

Sasuke whirled around at that, his onyx eyes piercing through her. "How did you know I would be leaving tonight?"

"I felt it." She told him quietly. "I don't know how, but I did. And I couldn't let you go without trying to stop you."

"Not even you can stop me, Sakura." Sasuke told her. Orochimaru could offer training and power that Kakashi could not. As head of the Uchiha fortune, Sasuke had no choice. He had to be prepared to protect Konoha, and to one day avenge his clan against his elder brother, who had massacred their family. There was no other option available to him.

"I can try. I have to try." She responded fiercely, her green eyes blinking back tears. "I have to make you stay."

"Well, it's too late. The carriage will be here soon." Sasuke seethed. How dare she try and stop him. This little girl didn't know who she was dealing with.

"No, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura breathed, quickly closing the distance between them so that she wasn't more than a feet away from him. "Please stay! I know you want power, but we can offer you so much more!"

"Like what?" He scoffed.

"Naruto's friendship! Kakashi's guidance! Warmth! Gratitude! Pride!" She breathed excitedly. There was a pregnant pause for a few moments before Sasuke spoke again.

"And from you?" He asked, his face hidden from her view.

"And from me…" she inhaled sharply, trying to decide what to say. "I can offer you my love. I can offer you happiness. I can offer you a life where there is always someone to help you. Let me be by your side, Sasuke-kun. Because I know that without you, I would be so lonely. I have friends and family, but without you, I would be alone. I love you so much, Sasuke. Please stay." Sakura was crying by the end of her confession to Sasuke.

"You're…still annoying," Sasuke told her for the second time, turning to smirk, before heading for his bedroom door.

"Don't leave Sasuke!" She told him. "I'll get Kakashi-sensei, and then you won't be able to leave because he won't let you!" As soon as she finished speaking, she realized that Sasuke was directly behind her.

"Sakura…" He whispered, his breath hot on her back. "Thank you."

Her heart swelled with a bittersweet love, and then with a definite thud, everything went black.


	2. Chapter 1

_Chapter One:_

Yamanaka Ino pulled on her best friend's corset strings with all her might, not allowing the poor pink-haired girl to have any wiggle room.

"Ino-pig!" Sakura gasped. "That's too tight!"

"Oh, hush," the blonde woman chastised. As she tied the ends of the corset off, she stepped back to appreciate her handiwork. Sakura's waist looked as tiny and lovely as it could. Really, the corset didn't do anything but emphasize Sakura's frame. It didn't hide, but rather displayed her body. "Just take a few breaths to get adjusted. Now, where is your dress?"

Sakura groaned. "It's laying across the settee. My shoes are in the armoir." She had no idea why Ino always insisted on that the two must get ready together before every ball or trip to the theatre. She always sent Sakura's maid away for the night, which only made things worse. That day, Sakura had done some intense training with her master, Tsunade, and was not feeling up to a trip to the theatre. Society, however, dictated that she must attend with the rest of her friends.

Sakura walked to her vanity and slowly sat down before lightly spraying some lavender perfume. She then opened a drawer and removed one of her favorite kunai. She placed the weapon in a sheath attached to her garter before placing some senbon in a secret compartment of her silver fan. Though she preferred using her incredible strength in place of weapons, she was a ninja in upper-class society. If something were to awry, rather than displaying her strength to the world, she would need to be secretive. She stood when Ino brought her beautiful crimson and silver dress to her, and stepped into the gown delicately. After Ino tied up the back, Sakura sat again. Ino began doing her hair, chattering away about the play they were supposed to be seeing that night. Sakura put on a thin black choker with a diamond shaped ruby encrusted in silver. Placing drop-earrings with a similar gemstone in her ear, she then chose a small bracelet lined with rubies. After her accessories were in place, Ino pinned the last piece of hair into her soft updo, and claimed that Sakura was officially ready.

A quick glance in the mirror told Sakura that her creamy skin seemed to glow against the silver. Though her body was tiny, it was curvy and light. Ino had worked her magic to make Sakura's short hair appear longer and more voluminous than it was in its updo. Feeling a little pleased with her appearance, Sakura gave Ino a soft smile. Clad in a revealing, sultry purple gown, Ino was breathtaking in her own way.

"You look beautiful, Sakura!" her best friend exclaimed. The girl paused, hearing voices in the main hall. "That should be the carriages!" Grabbing their fans and putting on gloves, the girls walked to the main hall. Naruto and Ino's teammate Choji were waiting for them.

"Good evening, ladies," Naruto told them with a deep bow, a mischievous smile on his face. After erupting into giggles, the girls put on their cloaks and took their purses before walking out the door with their escorts. After a quick goodbye to the butler, Sakura shut the door behind her. Ino departed with Choji in their other teammate, Shikamaru's, carriage. Sakura followed Naruto and allowed him to help her into their carriage. Sai, who had joined their team two years ago, was already waiting inside.

While the carriage took them to the theatre, Sakura watched the snow fall slowly outside. The real reason she had put herself through such a harsh day of training had been that it was a bitter day for her. Marking the seventh year of Sasuke's departing, she felt a sadness and anger that she could only let out with intense physical training. It was snowing the same way it had been when he left. She had awoken the next day in her own bed, and tears had poured out of her eyes for days. Her only saving grace had been the small "Thank you" Sasuke had given her.

Sakura was pulled from her reverie by the stopping carriage. They had reached Konoha's elaborate and beautiful theatre. Sai helped her out of the carriage, and she took his arm as she walked up the steps into the lavishly decorated lobby.

"What box are we in, again?" Naruto said next to her, his cerulean eyes darting around the room excitedly.

"The same one as always, Naruto," Sakura rolled her lovely green eyes.

"It looks like Team 8 made it here before us, Ugly," Sai remarked to the lady holding his arm, a thoughtful smile on his face, seeing Ino disappearing up the right staircase.

"Call me ugly again and I'll tell Ino that you are having secret relations with her maid."

As Sai threw his head back in laughter, Naruto did the same. Once they handed off their coats and hats, the team walked towards their normal balcony. All around them, women were gossiping about a mysteriously handsome man, and the men were doing their best to win their feminine companion's attentions.

"I suppose there's a newcomer here," Sakura remarked, fanning herself after removing her arm from Sai's.

"Well, I'm sure he'll be visiting around soon enough," Sai smiled.

"I don't want to have to sit through some stuffy tea time with a good for nothing dandy," Naruto told his friends, his boundless energy showing as he adjusted his bowtie.

"Hush, Naruto. If Sai has to do it, then you do too. Besides, pretty girls often come to tea. Especially ones with long raven hair and lavender eyes."

Naruto turned beat red at that, his face distorted in comical embarrassment. With a laugh at her friend's expense, Sakura motioned for her teammates to enter into their box. Maybe this trip to the theatre was exactly what the pink-haired kunoichi needed to get her mind off things.

* * *

Nineteen-year-old Uchiha Sasuke adjusted his gloves as he made his way to the private balcony reserved for him. The once handsome boy had become a breathtakingly stunning man, and had returned to his family's home three days ago without a word to anyone in his upper-class circle. He looked around at the aristocracy in the theatre. Women were turning their heads in an attempt to slyly get a good look at him, while men turned red in the face and watched him with contempt. With a smirk on his noble lips, the Uchiha continued walking, knowing he would always bring stares wherever he went. If only the people knew how little he cared about the attention he received.

Upon entering his private box, he realized that his view of the theatre was magnificent. Not only was he presented with a spectacular view of the stage, but his box allowed him to look into every other box in the theatre. The candlelight around the theatre would usually make it difficult to see others, but Sasuke's superior eyesight made it no trouble at all. The Uchiha looked around the various balconies. People were still arriving, but there was only five more minutes until curtain. After inspecting a few boxes, his eyes settled on a rather large one, where his eyes were greeted with familiar faces that had aged over time.

Sitting in Box 12, four away from his own, were six people he knew well. Teams 8 and 10 were settled into the box happily chattering away. All of them held familiar faces. Sasuke snickered to himself. What would they do if they knew he were here? This was his first public outing since returning to Konoha. Knowing he would receive the comfort of solidarity in the theatre, he had deemed it an appropriate place to go and perhaps catch a glimpse of familiar faces without having to greet them. With another look around the box, he realized there were three empty seats still. Just as he wondered if his old teammates would join them, they entered.

He looked at Naruto first. The sunny blonde was in a tuxedo, and had finally managed to tie a bowtie and wear cufflinks properly. His hair was trimmed neatly, and he appeared more mature and suave than he once had. The jinchuriki took a seat by the Hyuga girl, who blushed profusely when he winked at her. Sasuke felt a frown set into his face at the sight of his former best friend.

Sasuke then noticed a strange young man. He was very handsome, but also incredibly pale. His eyes were darker than Sasuke's. His tux was pristine, as though it had never seen the light of day before, which Sasuke could appreciate. He took a seat by Ino, and began to chat with the group as though they were old friends. He felt a pang of jealousy, but quickly squashed it. He needed no one.

The Uchiha forced himself to take a deep breath before finally giving in to his troublesome eyes that threatened to veer towards Sakura the moment she walked in. When he finally did see her, his jaw almost dropped. The once little girl had been replaced by an enchantingly beautiful woman. She was wearing a deep red evening dress with sleeves that sat off her shoulders, decorated with cream lace and silver cording. The dress hugged every curve until it reached her waist, where it then dipped out in a large skirt. The whole dress had silver floral inserts that made her glow like a goddess. Sakura's hair was done up gracefully, and her large eyes were framed with dark, sultry lashes that had only grown as she had. She was no longer cute, but sexy, lovely, and incredibly attractive. He noticed a small purple diamond in the middle of her forehead, which she had finally grown into. At one point, she gave the strange man by Ino an angelically charming smile, and it took everything in Sasuke's being not to cast Amaterasu on him right then and there.

In addition to her blossoming beauty, Sasuke noticed that Sakura carried herself differently. She walked with confidence and pride, something she had been severely lacking in when he had left. She seemed more reserved, but he could tell that underneath was a spark of life matched by no one.

Sasuke was only torn from his observation of his old teammate by the entrance of his former mentor, Orochimaru. The man was wearing a deep plum and black suit, his eerie face relaxed in peace.

"Have you mingled with any of your old friend's yet, Sasuke?" Orochimaru snickered. Sasuke lounged in his chair, his face fixed on the stage in front of them.

"What are you doing here?" Sasuke seethed. It had been two years since he had seen Orochimaru. Sasuke had left his mentor in order to travel around, his own agenda on his mind. Forming a team with his fellow disciples of Orochimaru, Sasuke had looked for his brother all over the land and finally enacted his revenge. His brother was no longer living, and Sasuke was free from his family's death. He had come back to Konoha, finally at peace.

"What, no hello for your mentor?" Orochimaru chuckled. "Still just as headstrong, Sasuke-kun."

At that, the lights dimmed in the theatre. The curtain rose, and the play began. Sasuke, however, payed it no attention. He wanted to know why Orochimaru had appeared, and what he was doing back in Konoha. He also couldn't help his eyes diverting to Box 12 more often than they should have. His best friend and the only girl he had ever become close to were objects of interest to him. He watched the way Naruto would divert his eyes to Hinata every once in a while, but for the most part, his focus was entirely on the play. Thoughts of their last fight flooded into Sasuke's head, making his blood boil. No doubt, Naruto had become even stronger. One day, their final fight would come, dictating exactly who was the stronger of the two.

Sakura's attention was completely focused on the play presented to her green eyes. Her eyes filled with wonder, despair, and hope as she watched. Her posture was impeccable and she never once slouched. She seemed to have blossomed into the ideal aristocratic woman. He wondered what kind of shinobi she had become

One intermission came, the candles were relit around the theatre. Sasuke watched Sakura fan herself, a thoughtful look on her face. The candlelight made her silver and red dress glow, and the Uchiha could see the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. She appeared entirely too seductive for her own good. Sasuke pushed those thoughts away quickly. He had no desire to think of his old team mate in that way. " _She's just another woman,"_ Sasuke thought to himself. " _I have no reason to speak to her more than I must while here."_

With that thought, the Uchiha turned to Orochimaru, who was watching him expectantly.

"Why are you in Konoha?" Sasuke muttered. "You know you're not entirely welcome here."

Orochimaru had a not-so-great relationship with the upper-class of Konoha. After abandoning his teammates during war, it led to the death of the Third Hokage. However, after saving the life of his former teammate and Fifth Hokage in an assassination attempt, he found himself in a rather odd state. While the aristocracy could never forgive him for running away when they needed him most, they were in debt to him for saving Tsunade's life.

"I'm only in town for the night," Orochimaru whispered back. "I just thought I'd take the opportunity to see my young pupil before departing. I'm also interested in seeing how your teammates react to your return. I don't suppose you have any idea what they're thinking."

Sasuke couldn't help but take the bait Orochimaru offered him. "What do you mean?"

"I'm sure they're going to be very surprised at your sudden return," Orochimaru told him. "Whether the reunion will be pleasant or not, I'm not sure. They have a new team member, you know."

Sasuke's face remained completely passive. Inside, however, his anger bubbled up. He knew he shouldn't be angry; he had chosen to leave Team 7 behind. Being replaced, however, did not sit well with him. His eyes moved to look at the pale young man in Box 12, who was sitting and talking with Naruto. He saw Sakura and Ino giggle, and Naruto's face turn bright red at some comment that was made. Sasuke's resentment only grew.

"The reunion will be nothing more than formalities," Sasuke stated nonchalantly. "We will only meet when necessary. I'm not here for them."

Orochimaru smirked, wondering what Sasuke's real thoughts were. Only time would tell. Orochimaru, however, did not have that time to watch. He had research to do in Otogakure. He had only come to check on his former pupil. The snake-like man had heard of Itachi's death. He wanted to see where the wind would take Sasuke, and what his choices in life would be. For now, though, he would have to watch from afar.

As the play ended that night and the patrons of the theatre began to depart from their seats, Sasuke watched as Sakura remained seated for a few moments. The play had been about two starcrossed lovers, and had an incredibly tragic ending where the heroine died, while the hero vowed to live on and make the world a better place, just like she had always wanted. Her mind was turning the words of the lovers around in her head, with her thoughts darting to Sasuke now and then.

Sasuke saw as Sakura sighed and gracefully rose from her seat, a somber expression on her face. He watched as Naruto noticed her face, and said something to her that made her smile. Naruto offered her his arm, which she obligingly took. Sasuke felt a pang in his heart that he didn't quite understand, and refused to give in to. Instead, he turned away from his former friends and walked out of his box, Orochimaru following.

Hurrying to grab his cloak and hat, Sasuke bid Orochimaru goodnight and exited the theatre. The snow was falling gently, and the air was full of bubbling romance, making the Uchiha incredibly uncomfortable. As he got into his carriage and instructed his driver to bring him home, the man reflected that maybe this trip to the theatre hadn't been the best idea. If he had not been there, he wouldn't have seen his old teammates. If he had not seen his old teammates, he wouldn't be feeling the conflicted emotions he felt now. He did not know whether it would be better to see them and get it over with, or to avoid them at all costs. He had a meeting with Tsunade in a few days where he was planning on extracting information from her about his brother's life in the anbu and his role within the village. After his brother had died, there had been several questions Sasuke still had. Knowing Konoha was the answer, he had returned home. In the meantime, he was going to fix up the Uchiha mansion, styling it to his own tastes. He would not openly seek out his old teammates, or anyone for that matter. He would not officially begin attending social events until after he met with Tsunade.

Uchiha Sasuke was going to use his time in Konoha to his advantage. He would train, research, and establish connections that would be for his own benefit. He was the sole heir to the most prestigious clan in Konoha, and he would uphold that title.

Most importantly, he would not allow himself to think too much on pastel pink hair and emerald eyes.


	3. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2:_

After sending word of his return to the Hokage, Sasuke had been informed that his appointment would be on Thursday at noon. In the three days leading up to that, he whiled away his time roaming around the Uchiha's lavish grounds and dictating how to decorate his spacious home. At night, when he couldn't sleep, the man would train in more secluded areas of his land. On Wednesday night, Sasuke threw shuriken at the trees around him as his cool down activity. Though he was physically exhausted, his mind was still going at full speed. He was being plagued with thoughts of his brother, his best friend, his parents, his old sensei, and a pair of green eyes that would look at him as though he was the reason for the sun.

Sasuke did not want to see his old team yet. Before that, he needed to get a grip on his own reality. Sasuke did not know entirely what he wanted out of life. He wanted to serve the village he had grown up in. He wanted to restore his clan. In order to do that, he'd need to find a wife. He did not, however, want someone high-maintenance. He needed to find someone dutiful and quiet, who would produce heirs to the Uchiha clan and leave him be otherwise. To do that, he would have to put himself back into society. He would need to meet many women before he chose which one he wanted to marry. He sighed at the thought of that.

After throwing his last shuriken, the Uchiha went back inside to his suite. After returning home, he had chosen to move into the master bedroom. It had not been inhabited since his parent's untimely death, and he refused to change anything about it, save for a new bed and a few small updates. Overall, however, it remained the same. Pale gold wallpaper lined the walls from the deep oak crown molding down to the hardwood floor. A large gold and red rug lay in front of the beautiful fireplace that had the Uchiha emblem carved into it above the mantel. In the middle of the room was an incredibly large four-poster bed with crimson curtains. On the new mattress lay beautiful crimson and black patterned quilts and pillows. The sheets felt like silk to Sasuke's fingertips. In front of the bed was a small red settee. There were two large windows facing the bed framed with elegant red curtains that went from the ceiling to the floor, giving the viewer a beautiful vision of the Uchiha's garden.

Connected to the bedroom was a bathroom featuring the same golden wallpaper. In there was a sink, a clawfoot tub, and an armoir filled with towels and lavish soaps. On either side of the fireplace was a different dressing room containing armoires and closets. Sasuke only used the one his father had. In fact, he had stepped foot mother's dressing room for the first time since she had died on Monday. As a boy, he remembered spending time with his mother in there before bed. She would brush her hair and talk with him about his day, laughing and smiling at her beloved son.

Avoiding the dressing rooms, Sasuke went straight for the bathroom. Peeling off his sweaty shirt and pants, the man poured warm water into his bathtub. While normally he would have his bath prepared for him, all of his staff was asleep. Stepping into the hot water, the handsome man felt his muscles relax. He was a man who didn't like much, but he certainly loved the feeling of hot water relaxing tense muscles after a long day. Sasuke cleaned himself, washing away the dirt and sweat from his training. After feeling clean enough, the man got up and dried himself. Lazily wrapping the fluffy towel around his waist, the man moved to his dressing room, stopping only to throw a long on his fire. After throwing on an old pair of breeches he found at the bottom of his armoir, Sasuke climbed into his bed, laying with his hands behind his head.

His wall clock told him it was just after midnight. He had his meeting with Tsunade in twelve hours. After that meeting, there would be no more secrecy. After the meeting, he would begin taking missions again. In between the missions, he would learn what he could about his family, and maybe find a wife. Sasuke did not know if he would be placed on a team or not. He knew that he had been replaced on Team Seven. There was no hope of being reunited, which was probably for the better. Who knew what would happen if Naruto and Sasuke were forced to be on the same team. In addition, if Sasuke spent too much time around Sakura, he suspected that it would only distract him. He also didn't take well to being told what to do, which meant Kakashi would have a very difficult time trying to order him around.

Sasuke thought back to his team and how they had been at the age of twelve. He could picture Kakashi smiling under his ridiculous mask, while reading one of his ridiculous novels. Naruto would inevitably be yelling about something ridiculous, playing with a toy or eating a snack, while trying to impress Sakura and outdo Sasuke. Sakura would giggle at Naruto and blush at Sasuke. When they had first become a team, he remembered how she would cling on his arm when she was scared. Then, as time went by and they began doing more dangerous missions, her beautiful pink hair had been cut off, and she had fought back instead of hiding. It showed how much she had grown. Now, she had blossomed into a stunning young woman. From what Sasuke had seen, her hair was long enough to put into an elaborate updo, and her body had become a delicate hourglass. Her dress at the theatre had been a sinfully appealing color of crimson that hugged every curve. Sasuke pushed those thoughts away again. He was a gentleman, after all, and would not do the girl he grew up with the injustice of thoughts that only can from a place of desperation.

No, it would definitely not do for them to be on the same team again.

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto awoke in his lonely room to the warm sunlight streaming in. After attending a party thrown by the Yamanaka family the night before, he was exhausted. Looking at the clock on the wall, the blonde haired man groaned. It was 12:45 in the afternoon, and he only had forty-five minutes to meet Sakura and Kakashi in the Hokage's office. They were being debriefed on a reconnaissance mission they would be doing at an upcoming ball in the heart of Konoha. Unfortunately for Naruto, he would have to wear his civilian clothing rather than his ninja gear at this meeting.

Jumping out of his soft bed, Naruto hurriedly dressed and freshened up. Knowing how Sakura would chastise him if even a hair was out of place, Naruto could not be too quick getting ready. He dressed in a high-collared gold and orange patterned vest and light brown pants. He tied on a gold cravat, and threw his deep brown coat on over the ensemble. After smoothing his hair back, he gave his appearance a quick nod. He stepped out of his room and into the entrance hall. His butler brought him his hat, coat and gloves, and the jinchuriki glanced at the grandfather clock in the hall. It was 1:15 p.m. when he was done. "Dammit!" he cursed. Nearly running out the door, the man ran to the stables, where his horse, Gama, was already saddled up. Jumping on the horse, the man rode like lightening to the Hokage's office. The civilians in the streets watched in shock as he ran by. Some laughed and shook their heads at the charming goofball, while others yelled confrontationally. Throwing a smile over his shoulder, the jinchuriki pushed Gama to run faster.

He could see the gates of the Palace in his sights. As he passed through and the palace became closer and closer, he could see Kakashi helping Sakura out of her carriage. Naruto stopped right in front of them, looking cheerful and chipper as ever.

Sakura scowled at him. "Did you wake up late again, Naruto?" She walked up to him and adjusted his cravat. The pretty girl was wearing a beautiful bottle green dress made of a thick wool that matched her eyes under her gray cloak. The high neck of the dress was held in place by a lovely cream bow. She had on black gloves and a winter bonnet that matched her dress. "You look like an absolute mess. I will not have you look like that in front of my teacher, especially because she is the fifth hokage."

"Ah, sorry, Sakura-chan," Naruto fixed his own hat. Kakashi rolled his eyes and Sai just smiled serenely.

Kakashi wore a deep blue suit jacket and black pants under his winter coat, a military green striped cravat tied around his throat. His usual black mask graced his face, but you could still see his uncovered eye smiling. "You must wake up at a decent hour, Naruto. The Hokage never sleeps in late." Naruto looked ashamed at that, knowing he would have to become more responsible in order to fulfill his dream of becoming Hokage.

Sai chuckled at Naruto's face. He was clad in a pewter gray suit and plaid coat. He had a dark purple cravat around his neck, and a tall top hat on his head. "We should go. Tsunade does not have a patient temper, and doesn't like to be kept waiting." Leading the way, Sai walked up the palace steps, the other following closely behind. After handing off their coats to a maid, they were greeted by Shizune, Tsunade's lady-in-waiting. She seemed very tense.

"Good afternoon, Shizune-sama!" Sakura greeted her cheerfully with a curtsey. The men greeted and bowed to her.

"Good afternoon, everyone," she replied nervously. "Please, I want to prepare you all for your meeting. You may not be entirely expecting what you see."

"What do you mean, Shizune?" Kakashi asked, his eyes brow raised quizzically.

"I'm not at liberty to tell you. You'll find out soon enough." She half-smiled. "Come with me to Tsunade-sama's office."

Curious about why Shizune was acting that way, they followed closely and quickly. Coming nearer to the office, Sakura began to hear loud voices. It seemed as though Tsunade was arguing with a man who's voice was rich and deep. Suddenly she felt a shiver go down her spine. For some reason, the Kunoichi was nervous. Shizune stopped right outside the door and knocked. The voices ceased immediately.

"Come in," Sakura heard her teacher call in after a deep sigh. Shizune opened the door and went in, followed by Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura, and Sai pulling up the rear.

Sakura stopped dead in her tracks as Naruto did. Looking around him to see why he had stopped, her jaw almost dropped. She felt her breath leave her body and her heart began to pound. There was no mistaking who Tsunade had been arguing with moments before.

A tall, muscular form sat languidly in an elegant chair. His inky, spiky hair fell around his chiseled, handsome face. His charcoal eyes looked at them arrogantly. His handsome mouth was pulled into a small smirk, as if he enjoyed their reactions. Clad in dark charcoals and blacks, he radiated attitude and pride.

"Teme," Sakura heard Naruto say to him, teeth clenched.

Sakura had never seen anything more handsome than that man in her entire life. She was in total shock, and couldn't help the "Sasuke-kun" that escaped her lips.

Looking at her directly in the eyes, Sakura was surprised even more by Sasuke's greeting. "Aa, Sakura," he said in a crystal clear voice. She felt a chill go down her spine.

"What are you doing here, Sasuke?" Kakashi asked him, astounded.

"He has come home to serve Konoha," Tsunade declared as she held her forehead in frustration. "Please sit down, everyone."

Naruto sat directly next to Sasuke, slapping him on the back as he did. Naruto always knew Sasuke would return to them, and was more than happy to have him back. Sakura, however, chose the chair farthest away from Sasuke, something that did not escape his notice. She was too shocked to believe that he was really there in front of her.

"Sasuke has returned home with the honest intention of protecting Konoha," Tsunade began. "After hearing his story, I believe that he is telling the truth. However, he did abandon the village, even if it was with no intention of hurting us. In order for him to be welcomed back as a shinobi, he would need to be placed on a team with at least two jonin. Of course, his original team has two jonin."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. He didn't know that. Kakashi was a jonin, and he supposed the new guy must have been one as well.

"There are, of course, other team options. However, knowing his background, I believe it would be best for him to rejoin Team Seven. If he can prove himself, then I will allow him to begin working solo missions. That is, of course, unless you don't think you can handle your old teammates, Uchiha." Tsunade turned to look at him expectantly. The beautiful blonde woman had dealt with that damned man for over an hour, and she would not give in to his demands to work alone.

"Of course he can, dattebayo!" Naruto half-yelled. "Besides, Sasuke and I have a score to settle. It wouldn't be as fun if he wasn't actually on the team."

Even Sasuke cracked a little smirk at those words. They definitely had a score to settle, and he would be victorious.

"So, will you agree to work on Team Seven until you've proven your loyalty?" Tsunade asked.

"Hn," Sasuke agreed. He really had no other choice if he wanted to work as a ninja.

"Excellent. Now, for your mission debriefing." Tsunade then went on telling them about an undercover mission they would be handling. There was a ball coming up where a rumored illegal weapons specialist was rumored to be attending. They had to attend and covertly gather information while using their aristocratic titles to mingle with guests.

"And Sakura?" Tsunade turned to her disciple as she finished debriefing.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama?" The girl asked, instantly on alert.

"The target is a notorious womanizer. If you get the opportunity to get him alone, use it. You're my apprentice. Use your skills."

Sakura nodded. She knew that she would need to be the main interrogator, especially if this man's weakness was women.

Turning to Kakashi, Tsunade spoke again. "The ball is in one week at the Nara residence. In the meantime, I expect your team to get reacquainted with each other. Naruto has just gotten used to being back, so he should be able to help Sasuke."

" _Naruto has been gone? Sakura is the apprentice to the hokage?"_ Sasuke thought. What had he missed while he was away?

"You are all dismissed." With that, Tsunade stood and reached for her bottle of sake. It had been a rough day.

The ninja bowed to the Hokage before leaving the room. Kakashi led with Naruto and Sasuke close behind. Naruto was talking Sasuke's ear off. The Uchiha seemed to be putting up well with his former best friend, which surprised Sakura. Following Sai, the girl walked behind the others, lost in her own thoughts. When they stepped out, Naruto exclaimed that they should all go to his house for dinner in celebration. While the others agreed, Sakura hesitated.

"I really do not know, Naruto," she smiled sadly. "I have a lot of research to do."

Naruto groaned and whined so much that it gave Sakura a headache. Sasuke wouldn't even look at her, which only made it worse. When even Kakashi told her that she should go, the girl finally relented.

"Alright, alright. But I'm going home first." The girl sighed. "I'll see you all at 5." When her carriage pulled up, Kakashi again helped her inside. Glancing at the Uchiha, who was looking anywhere but at her, the girl's heart began to hurt. Tears threatened to spring to her eyes. Kakashi gave her a look that said they would talk later, making her feel a little better. With a wave to Naruto and Sai, the girl turned away as her carriage began moving.

Sakura was astounded. Not only had Sasuke reappeared, but he had total intentions of being on their team again. She knew she should be thrilled. The man she loved had finally returned.

" _But why do I feel so angry and hurt and alone?"_ Sakura mulled. Her heart hurt. It hurt because Sasuke was so breathtakingly handsome and she knew he would never love her. It hurt because he could barely even look at her, as though she were worth almost nothing to him. It hurt because that man had left her for dead years ago, and the only acknowledgement she had gotten was him saying her name. Even the sound of her name, though, had sent a shiver down her back, filling her with warmth.

She was angry with Sasuke. She was angry that he came back without telling them. She had no choice but to go to dinner that night. She would not, however, talk to him, not matter how delicious his voice sounded. She was sure that he still thought her weak and useless. She wasn't though. And one day very soon, he was going to learn that. In the meantime, though, she would be showing him exactly how much she had grown as a woman and a person by refusing to give in to her own over-excitable heart.

* * *

When Sasuke arrived home after Team Seven's reunion in the Hokage's office, he cursed himself. Before his team's entrance, he had been arguing tooth and nail with Tsunade about being placed on his old team. Not wanting to be held back, the Uchiha had demanded he take solo mission. It wasn't until he was back with his old team that he seemingly forgot about those wishes. It wasn't until he saw Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi that he realized he had missed his team. He would never admit to it, though.

Naruto had been more than willing to accept Sasuke back. Kakashi was a little curious, but seemed happy to have his student back. Even Sai had been polite to Sasuke, saying he wanted to get to know the Uchiha better. Sakura, however, had been relatively quiet. That was to be expected, though. She had always been gentle around him, not wanting to step on his toes. Sasuke was also sure that Sakura was incredibly confused. He had, after all, come back out of nowhere and been placed back on the team he'd left behind long ago.

That night would be an interesting one for Team Seven. A dinner between the five of them could only end in chaos, Sasuke was sure. Of all the teams that had come from the academy, Team Seven was the most volatile. After tonight's dinner, Sasuke determined that he would only be with Team Seven when training. There wasn't really a reason to do any more than that. They did not need to attend social events together unless a mission dictated it. He needed to use that time to find someone to reinstate his clan with.

Sasuke had a funny feeling that if he attempted to do that with Sakura around, that would not go very well. Chuckling slightly to himself when he remembered the pink-haired girl's jealous streak as a child, the man made his way into his dressing room to pick out his clothes for the night. As the first dinner together, it was important to impress his old sensei, after all. At least, that's what Sasuke told himself after the face of a pretty girl with a mysterious diamond on her forehead flashed through his mind.


	4. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3:_

Sakura dressed that night more carefully than normal. She had her maid tie her favorite corset as tightly as possible, wore her best undergarments, and chose a ruffle-sleeved Prussian blue dress with black and cream flowers printed on the fabric. The fabric wrapped around her skirt into a large bustle, where layers of black silk mixed with the floral Prussian blue. Sakura's maid carefully wrapped her hair up around the crown of her head, leaving a few hairs down around her neck that she carefully curled into tight ringlets. The maid then carefully placed an onyx floral comb in her hair. After adding a matching necklace to her creamy neck, Sakura stared carefully in the mirror.

Her pink hair shone silky and vibrant in contrast with the deep blue and black of her dress. Her cheeks were pink with anticipation, and her lips were rosy and plump. She represented a put-together woman who had the confidence she lacked as a child. Sakura at her reflection. There was no way Sasuke could ever think of her as the same person she used to be.

After a spritz of perfume, the pinkette sauntered down to her entrance hall, where Kakashi was waiting to accompany her to dinner. He bowed as he saw her, and his eyes lit up with a kind smile. She knew he was giving an approval of her appearance. He was in a black cutaway coat with a vest underneath that almost matched the color blue of Sakura's dress. He had on a black cravat and top-hat. He was quite handsome, and it always surprised Sakura that he had not found a wife to settle down with.

"Good evening, Sakura," her sensei said with a bow.

"Good evening, Kakashi-sensei" She responded, curtseying before grabbing her cloak, gloves, and purse from her butler. Kakashi offered his arm to her, which she gladly took. He escorted her into his carriage, and they began the journey to Naruto's.

"Sakura…" Kakashi began. Sakura almost knew what he was going to say before he finished. "How are you feeling? About Sasuke?"

"I don't know," Sakura sighed. "Of course, I'm glad he's back. But I just keep wondering to myself if he's actually back."

Kakashi nodded. "I've been thinking the same thing. We have no idea what he's been doing the last few years, and how devoted to the village he is. It seems that he's found some sort of peace within himself, which makes me wonder where that has come from. I have a hunch that Sasuke has more than one purpose here than just serving Konoha."

"What do you suppose he has in mind?"

"Well, if we think about what his goals for the future have always been, then he's only ever had two objectives since he became a genin. The first is to avenge his family by killing his brother. The second is to restore his clan. If he's back in Konoha of his own accord, there is a strong chance that he's accomplished the first of those goals, which would also explain the odd peace about him."

"So you think that Sasuke killed Itachi?" Sakura swallowed, her eyes wide.

"I have a feeling that he has. However, we won't know until he's ready to tell us. It's important not to push him, especially because I'm sure he didn't want a thing to do with us in the first place."

"What do you mean, he doesn't want to be around us?" Sakura's eyes grew wider.

"Sasuke attempted to sever the bonds he had with us when he went away. He was willing to give us up for power. However, I have a feeling that no matter how hard he tried to forget us, he was not able to. I'm sure that coming back here and being placed on the same team not only frightens him because he does not want to have any strong connections, but makes it more difficult for him to forget what it's like to have the equivalent of a family. If Sasuke has killed Itachi, then he is the sole heir of the Uchiha clan. To him, he has no blood-related family left. We, however, represent the chance at a family for whom he would die for. Sasuke has loved and lost so much, that the idea of having us as a family probably makes him scared of losing us. Therefore, he would probably choose to go on solo missions than be on a team. Then, the fear of losing a companion wouldn't be as severe. If he isn't close to us, then the hurt of losing one of us would be lessened."

Sakura took all this in, thinking. She felt anger swelling within her chest. "Doesn't he know how ridiculous that is? It's bound to be more painful for him to come back here and see us, and remember the bonds we have, and never get close with us again. He's lost everyone, and is isolating himself farther into darkness, which will only be counter-productive. If he truly wants power, then having a support system will enable him to accomplish more. I'm also sure that Sasuke wouldn't really be truly at peace if Itachi died. No matter how much he hates his brother, Itachi was still the last living relative he had. Isolating himself will only make his grief worse." Sakura paused for a moment. "Also, if he wants to restore his clan, he'll have to eventually find someone to be close to." Sakura felt a pang in her heart at that. One day, Sasuke would have some wife that he would make love with and produce children with. When she was younger, she had always felt a longing to be that wife. Now, Sakura had little hope of being that for Sasuke. He could barely even look at her. "I just feel as though his return should have brought me joy, but in reality, I've felt nothing but confusion and anger since I saw his face." She cursed his handsome face as is flashed through her mind.

Kakashi nodded, pity shining in his eyes. " _It's going to take some getting used to,"_ Kakashi thought _. "Naruto will have no problem getting readjusted, because that's just who he is. Sai will adapt to Sasuke's return easily after a few days of observation. You, on the other hand need time and patience. I'll bet you still harbor incredibly strong love for him, and that your feelings only grew in his absence, which makes this harder for you than any of us will realize."_

Kakashi flashed a smile at his sad looking student. "Don't worry, Sakura. Everything will work out for the best."

Sakura smiled gratefully at him. The two shared a special bond, different from what Kakashi had with Naruto, Sai and Sasuke. Sakura had the keenest intelligence and kindest heart of the four, making her an excellent discussion partner for the wise silver-haired gentleman. She had grown into a beautiful young woman, and Kakashi hoped with affection that she would find the happiness she truly deserved.

The young woman and her teacher pulled up to the Uzumaki residence soon after their discussion finished to see Sai stepping inside Naruto's home. With some help from Kakashi, Sakura stepped outside to get a full view of the bright Uzumaki residence. The large faded brick mansion was warm and welcoming, with vines of flowers that would bloom in spring growing up the sides. It was just like Naruto: warm and oddly sunny, even with white snow covering the roof. Sakura smiled, comforted by the familiarity of Naruto's home.

As they walked up the steps, the door was thrown open by none other than the owner of the house. Naruto, dressed in a black suit with a dull gold vest and matching bowtie, was smiling at them as though it was the best night of his life.

"Sakura-chan! Kakashi-sensei!" He greeted the, with a quick bow. "You're the last two to arrive."

"Ah, calm down Naruto," Sakura told her hyperactive friend with a bright smile. She curtseyed towards him, looking around. Sai was standing in the hall, clad in deep green, handing his hat to Naruto's butler. Sasuke was standing with his hands in his pocket, staring at Sakura holding Kakashi's arm.

"You look beautiful, Sakura! Dattebayo!" Naruto told her with a bright smile as Sakura took off her coat. With an even wider grin at Naruto, Sakura retook Kakashi's arm and turned slightly to look at Sasuke. He was a vision of pure male perfection. His long hair was pulled back into a small ponytail with a plum ribbon that matched his cravat. He wore a deep grey suit that accentuated his perfectly constructed body, and Sakura's mouth almost started watering. His delectable mouth was set in an arrogant grimace, and his aristocratic face looked almost bored. He represented the perfect Uchiha: cold, sexy, and proud.

Sakura looked away from him and turned her attentions to Sai, who had just greeted her. Following Naruto to the dining room, with her arm wrapped around Kakashi's, Sakura almost totally ignored the man who held her heart. She couldn't help herself, however, from the quiet "Sasuke-kun" that spilled from her mouth as she walked past him, her eyes not leaving his handsome face. He nodded back at her, a look of indifference on his handsome face. With disappointment in her heart, she turned away, vowing not to give him attention for the rest of the night.

Sasuke was quietly seething through most of dinner. He refused to look at Sakura or Kakashi, who were both engaged in pleasant conversation with each other. Instead, he put up with Naruto's ramblings and even answered some of Sai's ridiculously intrusive questions. Before the odd man had arrived, Naruto had warned him that the artist was socially inept, and was learning how to behave in society.

It wasn't until dessert that Sasuke couldn't help but glance at Sakura, who was smiling like an angel at Naruto and Kakashi. She looked breathtaking in the deep blue dress she was wearing, and he could appreciate with impartiality that she really had blossomed since he had seen her as a child. At the sight of her entering with her hand on Kakashi's arm wearing almost the same shades of blue, an unknown anger had flared through him. Sasuke had been away for so long, and he had no idea what the relationship between his former teammate and sensei was, and it disgusted him. For the first time, the idea that Sakura had moved on from him resounded in his head. For some reason, it upset him more than he was willing to admit. She was quiet around him, and had only acknowledged him with a simple "Sasuke-kun" the entire night. She was definitely not the girl he remembered. She had grown into someone calm, collected, and unobtrusive. While they were qualities he wished she'd had as a child, he begrudgingly admitted that he missed her fiery temper and meddlesome disposition.

Sakura was no longer a girl. She was a woman, and Sasuke had missed her growth and development. He felt as though she were a total stranger. It was as though he knew as much about this new Sakura as he did about Sai.

" _It doesn't matter anyways,"_ Sasuke thought to himself, stopping his unpleasant thoughts. " _You only have to deal with her when absolutely necessary."_

After dinner, the group was walking to a small gazebo that lay in the middle of the Uzumaki property where they could look out and see the majority of Konoha. It was a relaxing view, and oddly brought Sasuke a sense of peace. Sakura was gazing out serenely on the other side of the gazebo, while Naruto childishly challenged Sai to a snowball fight.

"Be careful you two!" Sakura chastised them, her voice laced with menace. "You're fully grown men. If either of you hit me with a snowball, you will regret it."

When the two nodded morosely, Sasuke almost laughed. While her temper had once been fearsome, Sakura was always all bark and no bite. The fact that Naruto and Sai, who had to be a jonin, were scared of one woman was funny to Sasuke.

Kakashi, meanwhile, had moved to stand by Sasuke while Sakura watched the stars.

"How does it feel to be home?" The silver-haired man offered.

"It's…interesting." Sasuke replied. Knowing that was all he was going to get, Kakashi began discussing their mission with him.

"This ball will be your first entrance back into society," Kakashi began. "We will use that to our advantage. Your emergence into our world will cause quite a stir. No doubt, women will flock to you and men will make themselves known to you. Because of that, if Sakura pays him attention when no one else does, it will be much easier to extract information." Sasuke's black gloved hands balled themselves into fists at the thought of Sakura being a pawn to extract information.

"So you're planning her totally defenseless in the palms of some filthy criminal?" Sasuke seethed.

"Uhm, not exactly-" Kakashi began sheepishly before he was cut off.

"She should not be the only choice in this mission. We have two jonin who can handle this." Sasuke continued, his face contorting with arrogance.

Sakura flipped her head towards him, her eyes ablaze with anger. Just as she was about to say something, however, a large pile of snow hit her in the stomach. Not flinching, she simply looked down at her beautiful dress that now had a large wet spot in the middle. She looked up to see Naruto staring at her, dumbfounded, a look of pure horror and anger on his face.

Staring right at him the entire time, Sakura slowly made her way to the jinchuriki, who was too scared to move. Glancing around, Sasuke saw that his other two teammates had looks of pity and fright on their faces. It absolutely astounded him. There was no way that the quiet, almost demure woman that he had seen earlier could be causing this kind of terror.

Sakura stopped directly in front of Naruto. He closed his eyes tightly, fearing for his life. Sakura slowly raised her hand towards his face, a look of utmost anger on her own. She reached her fingers out, and for a very anger-surged moment, Sasuke thought she was going to poke Naruto in the same way Itachi did to him when they were children. Instead, however, she lifted her finger and flicked him in the middle of the forehead. What made Sasuke's jaw drop was the fact that Naruto went flying clear across his yard, hitting a tree and then landing in a pile of snow.

Sai ran to lift the blonde up as Sakura turned and walked back towards the house. She stopped in front of Kakashi, a look of arrogant fury on her face. "I will heal Naruto inside the house."

She then haughtily tilted her head towards Sasuke, who was astounded at what he just saw and heard. "For your information Sasuke-kun," Her siren voice was deadly. "I am perfectly capable of defending myself against those much stronger than any normal dandy criminal in a ballroom. So, as one of the only two jonin on the squad, I am best suited for extracting information on this mission. Don't worry about me."

At that, the beautiful young lady sauntered back to the mansion, her head thrown back in disdain.

"Give her a few minutes, she'll cool off." Kakashi stated while watching her retreating back, a contrite expression on his face. "Unfortunately, her temper has only worsened since she became Tsunade's apprentice."

Tsunade's apprentice? A jonin? Who in the world had Sakura become? Sasuke felt respect blooming for Sakura. Not only had she displayed an incredible physical strength he hadn't seen the likes of since the Hokage, but she was obvious talented and brave enough to be an elite ninja. She was beautiful and hot-blooded, a combination that seemed deadly to Sasuke at that moment. He felt something growing in him that was stronger than any sexual attraction he had ever felt, and it terrified him.

Sasuke was roused from his thoughts by Sai arriving at the pavilion supporting a very bruised Naruto.

"Eh, Sakura-chan sure is scary. Dattebayo," The boy tried to joke, a half-hearted smile on his face.

"She said she would heal you inside. Did you have to hit her with a snowball?" Kakashi asked, shaking his head.

"It was an accident!" Naruto whined.

"Hn, dobe." Sasuke muttered, incensing his former best friend.

"What was that, teme?"

"If I were you two," Sai interjected, a peculiar smile on his face. "I wouldn't start fighting, or Sakura will punish us all."

At that, the artist began moving with Naruto towards the house, and the remaining two followed. They found the pink-haired woman in Naruto's front parlor, pouring herself a cup of tea, totally composed. Sasuke was once again astounded. Where was the temper he had just witnessed?

"Where would you like him, Sakura?" Sai questioned upon entering.

"Over by the fire," she replied, putting down her teacup after taking a sip. Seating himself as far away from his old teammate as possible, Sasuke watched her walk over to Naruto.

"Sorry, Sakura-chan," Naruto pouted. Sakura removed her gloves, revealing delicate and beautiful milky white hands. Sasuke couldn't take his eyes off of them.

"You have to be more careful, Naruto." Sakura censured as her hands began glowing green. She then placed her hands on Naruto's scalp, where an ugly bump had formed. In no time, the bump had completely disappeared. She then moved her hands to Naruto's back, which for some reason was rather unpleasant to Sasuke. Sakura moved her hands effortlessly and delicately, a seemingly total contrast to the extreme strength those same hands seemed capable of. He watched her faced, pouting in concentration. He stared at the diamond on her forehead, wondering what it meant and what powers were associated with it. Sakura seemed to be full of surprises, and he wasn't sure how he felt about it.

The party remained there for another hour before a missive came for Kakashi. Sakura and Naruto were bickering about something trivial, and Sai was drawing on a notepad. Sasuke and Kakashi had discussed the mission again, this time without Sasuke daring to mention Sakura's possible weaknesses. They were all interrupted by the sound of a messenger hawk tapping its beak on the window.

Kakashi stood up and walked to the window, opening it to take the scroll from the bird. He opened the note and sighed.

"I'm afraid I'll have to cut this short," He turned to face the rest of the room. "I have been summoned to the Hokage's office. Unfortunately, Sakura, I will not be able to take you home. Would any of you-"

"I'll take her home," Sasuke found himself interrupting. The entire room turned to stare at him, astounded. Sasuke shrugged nonchalantly, a look of apathy on his face. "Her house is on my path home."

Kakashi turned to Sakura. "Any objections?" She slowly shook her head no, not wanting to cause a problem.

"Then it's settled. I'll see you all tomorrow at one for training. We'll meet at training ground three." With a bow, Kakashi walked out of the room, and left behind two people who had no idea what to expect from their carriage ride home.

* * *

After saying their goodbyes to Naruto and Sai, the rather uncomfortable pair took their places opposite each other in Sasuke's lavish carriage. Sakura leaned back against the rich seat, inhaling the scent of leather and musky cologne.

" _Even the carriage smells like Sasuke,"_ she thought to herself. His scent permeated through her, giving her a sensation the likes of which she'd never felt. It frightened her a little. Sparing a glance at the man across from her, she caught a glimpse of the chiseled outline of his jaw, the aristocratic nose, and smoldering eyes that were staring directly out the window. He was so attractive it hurt.

The silence between them was filled with tension. Sakura didn't know whether to talk to him or not. It would be the polite thing to do. It seemed, though, that Sasuke didn't really care for manners much. What Sakura really wanted to know was why he'd offered to take her home when he hadn't said two words to her the entire night.

"Sasuke-kun?" She almost whispered. When he turned his head to her expectantly, a look of indifference on his beautiful features, she chickened out.

"Did you enjoy dinner?" She asked, blushing and averting her gaze from his face.

"Aa," was his only response. Sasuke watched as the blush crept up her face. When she bit her lip demurely, he felt a shockwave run through his body. For the first time, he felt the urge to grab her lips with his own and suck the same lip she was biting. Shivering, the Uchiha pushed those thoughts away, feeling absolutely bewildered and uncertain of where these feelings were coming from.

They spent the rest of the ride in awkward silence, stealing glances at each other. When they arrived at the Haruno residence, Sasuke surprised Sakura by escorting her out of the carriage all the way to the front door. When their hands touched, a spark of electricity went through the two of them, causing Sakura to blush again.

"Goodnight, Sasuke-kun," Sakura told him as she opened the door, the warm candlelight showcasing the pensive look on her beautiful face. As she closed the door behind her, she heard the whisper of a "goodnight, Sakura," that only made her heart beat faster and her mouth go dry. She made her way up to her room, confused and lost. She didn't know what Sasuke thought of her, or what his being back really meant. When she had undressed and layed down in her soft bed, Sakura couldn't help the tears that escaped as she tried to find solace in the darkness of sleep.

* * *

Sasuke went to train the moment he got home. He darted from his carriage and jumped on his roof, stepped in through his window, and quickly changed into old training clothes. He then crawled back out through his window and began doing the most physically exerting training he could think of. He needed to let out his frustration at himself and at his pink-haired teammate. Why did he offer to take her home? Why did she elicit such feelings of physical attraction from him?

This was only their first night together. If Sasuke stayed near Sakura for prolonged periods of time, there was no telling what he would do. He had incredible control, it was true; but Sakura seemed dangerously close to making him do some things he would ultimately regret. She was too beautiful, too strong, and too lively for her own good. She smelled like a field of flowers. Hints of lavender, honeysuckle, rose, and cherry blossom intermingled within his carriage, driving him wild. Her fiery temper and confidence impressed him, and he found himself looking forward to seeing what she would do during training the next day. She seemed fearless, but during the carriage ride, she had been quieter and demurer than he had ever seen. She looked angelically innocent, a completely different side from the overpowering woman he had seen in Naruto's gazebo. The many sides of Sakura intrigued Sasuke. He thought about how beautiful she had looked in the deep blue and cream dress she was wearing that night. It emphasized her curvy figure and illicited feelings that he'd never felt before. He then thought about Kakashi wearing matching colors with her and escorting her everywhere, which led to Sasuke eliciting a stronger fireball jutsu than he meant to cast.

The sharingan wielder needed to distract himself by any means possible. He could not think about the pink-haired woman who was almost a total stranger to him. He needed to think about other things. As he impaled a tree with chidori, the Uchiha decided that it was high time he looked for a wife with hair any color other than pink.


	5. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4:_

Naruto and Sasuke were on the brink of a fight when Sakura arrived at training ground three the next day. She heard their voices before she saw them, and in turn urged her horse, Reika, to go faster. The lovely white mare sped up at her urging, and soon Sakura came into the clearing. Sai was leaning against a tree, observing Naruto and Sasuke yelling at each other from the middle of the large training ground. Galloping past Sai, Sakura urged Reika to run between the two men. Shocked whenever Sakura and her horse ran past them, the two stopped their squabbling.

"What is wrong with you two?" Sakura hissed as she commanded her horse to turn around and face her teammates. "It's our first training match and you've already started arguing?"

"But Sakura-chan, Sasuke was-" Naruto yelled, but he was instantly cut off by a glare from Sakura.

"I don't care what it was." She told them. "Not only are you two adults, but you're both gentlemen. Do not disgrace yourselves with a meaningless spat. I will not heal you if you purposefully injure each other."

"Hn," Sasuke muttered. He then turned around and stalked off to stand by Sai. Naruto ran after him, and Sakura trotted to put Reika in the nearby stables by Naruto's horse, Gama. Sai's horse, Takumi, was standing nearby. A fourth horse that Sakura did not know was on the other side of Reika. It was jet black and beautiful. She suspected that the horse belonged to Sasuke. Sakura gave an apple to each horse, knowing that their owners had probably forgotten to.

When she returned to the training ground, Sakura took in her companions. They were all in their ninja gear. Sasuke looked particularly handsome in his tight dark blue pants, black shirt, gray vest, and dark black jacket. His hair was down again, and he had a sword attached to his hip, which surprised Sakura.

"Has Kakashi-sensei arrived yet?" Sakura asked them as she approached.

"Of course not," Sai told her cheerfully. The artist was sketching the snowy scene in front of him. His charcoal pencil captured every shadow and line the forest presented him. It was amazing to watch him work.

"He's always so late!" Naruto exclaimed from the tree branch he was lying on lazily.

"You're never usually on time yourself, Naruto," Sakura accused as she moved under Sasuke who was standing on a branch to walk towards Sai.

"You're just as mean as Sasuke, dattebayo!" Naruto exclaimed.

As the two continued to bicker, Sasuke soaked in Sakura's appearance. She was, for once, not in a dress. Instead, she was wearing a puffy cream blouse with lace collared sleeves that under a pale rose corset. The high-collar was held together at her throat with a ruby red ribbon. She had on a ruby red coat that reached the bottom of her corset in front before billowing out to mid-calf behind her. On the back of the jacket was an intricate floral design around the circle that symbolized the Haruno family. Her black pants were tight on her legs, emphasizing her curves, and her dark gray boots reached up to her knees. Her vivid pink hair was pulled back into a loose bun with a ribbon that matched her collar tied around it. She looked utterly delectable, and Sasuke was incensed at the thought of another man seeing her looking this beautiful. She was currently bending down, watching Sai draw as she fought with Naruto. It was painfully ironic that she was bickering with Naruto after chastising him for doing the same thing.

"…and just because you used to have a crush on Sasuke doesn't mean that you have to defend him all the time, dattebayo!" Naruto was now standing on ground level with Sakura, who had gone completely still. For a few moments, everything was completely silent, save for the sound of Sai's pencil.

Then, the battle between Sakura and Naruto began. Naruto barely dodged Sakura's fist that went flying towards his face. Retreating back, the jinchuriki summoned close to thirty shadow clones to surround Sakura. In retaliation, she punched the ground below, completely decimating the area around Naruto and his clones.

As the fight continued, Sasuke moved to ground level to get a better view. Sakura was holding her own, and Naruto's strength had increased far beyond what Sasuke expected.

"They have an interesting dynamic, don't they?" Sai mused aloud. "Naruto continually incenses Sakura. She, however, cannot stay too mad at him for long. They rely on each other, but they're continually bickering with each other. It's interesting to watch their comradery."

"Hn," was all Sasuke replied. Sakura and Naruto had always worked strangely together. They would fight even worse than Sasuke and Naruto did sometimes, but they always worked it out and relied on each other. Sakura even smiled at Naruto once in a way that made his own blood boil with hatred at the ripe age of twelve. What had evolved between those two while Sasuke was away? Thinking back to Tsunade's words a few days ago, he remembered that Naruto had apparently been gone for a while.

"What was Naruto gone for?" Sasuke found himself quietly asking Sai. Instead of being astounded at Sasuke's attempt to communicate, Sai just simply continued to draw.

"Naruto left to train with Master Jiraiya shortly after you left. He returned for a year when he was fifteen, and I was placed on the team during that time." Sai paused, thoughtful. "Naruto and Sakura were able to show me a different path from the one I had been on. They changed me. Naruto then left again to train more with Jiraiya and returned a year ago."

"Hn." Sasuke thought for a moment. It seemed all of the original Team 7 had been trained by a different Sannin. Naruto, no doubt, would have learned some incredible tricks from the old pervert, Jiraiya. "So Sakura is a jonin?"

"Yes. It seems as though Tsunade's training has allowed her to change drastically from who she was as a genin. I wouldn't know. She's always been frightfully strong and menacing to me." Sai smiled his peculiar smile.

" _What is wrong with this guy?"_ Sasuke thought bitterly.

"She just became a jonin a few months ago. Seeing as you and Naruto are technically genin, and I can't become a jonin because of my involvement in root, she outranks all of us."

Sasuke turned to look at the woman who was decimating the battle ground. He watched as she effortlessly dodged some kind of wind attack from Naruto, landing on her feet with a kick to the ground that sent Naruto flying into the air. Both of his former teammates seemed ridiculously strong.

"In addition to her strength, Sakura has become a renowned medical ninja. She often spends her days at the hospital with the Hokage, healing and delivering medicines to those who need it. It's painfully ironic that she has brute strength that can destroy a battlefield of ninja and the capacity to heal those same people."

" _How vast is her power exactly?"_ Sasuke wondered. " _What has she done the past seven years?"_

"Naruto, meanwhile, has been doing some interesting things with senjutsu and ninjutsu. I believe he has also learned to work with Kurama." Sai continued as he put the finishing touches on his drawing. He pouted, obviously unhappy with it. "The picture is missing something. Maybe some color?" The odd man shook his head before standing up, stretching. He flashed a smile at Sasuke. "As for my own power, I suppose you'll see that today."

At that moment, Kakashi appeared on the tree branch Sasuke had been standing on.

"Sorry I'm late!" Kakashi smiled. "It seems as though Naruto and Sakura started without us."

"She's very angry with him for making comments about her love life." Sai was putting away his art supplies, preparing for training.

"Ah, I see." Kakashi chuckled. At that moment, a resounding crack came from the Earth on the far side of the training ground. Catching Naruto off guard, Sakura had landed a punch while both of them were in midair. Naruto collided with the Earth, causing a chasm to form underneath him. Sakura, breathing heavily, walked to the hole, pulled out his body, and layed Naruto on the soft snow. They began speaking in voices low enough so that not even Kakashi could hear them.

"Ah, I'm sorry, Sakura-chan.." the dizzy blonde breathed in pain. Sakura removed her gloves and tucked them in her back pocket.

"Naruto, I know that you're adjusting easily to Sasuke being back. You two were like brothers, so I'm sure that it's simple to fall back into your normal ways," Sakura began healing Naruto as she spoke, her hands glowing green over his chest. "It's different for us. I don't know how to describe our relationship, or if we're even friends. You know what my feelings are. Please, please don't use that against me in an argument, especially not in front of Sasuke."

Naruto looked at her. Tears were forming at the sides of her eyes. It had been a long time since he'd seen Sakura cry over Sasuke, and Naruto felt bad that he was the one to bring on the tears.

"I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. I didn't realize that it would be hard for you to be around him." He smiled at her. "Forgive me?"

"Of course, baka. Shannaroo." Sakura giggled at him. No matter how angry Naruto made her, she just couldn't stay angry at the sun. Naruto and Sakura were like the Sun and Spring. They worked together like siblings to form a connection that was unlike any other. After he was healed completely, Naruto jumped up to look around. He saw Kakashi, Sai, and Sasuke moving towards them.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto yelled. "You're late again, Dattebayo!"

"It seems you just couldn't wait for me, and have decimated the training ground in the process." Kakashi replied as he stopped in front of them, flashing the two a look. Sakura and Naruto had the grace to look a little ashamed at their childish antics.

"It's my fault, sensei," Sakura admitted, giving a nervous laugh. "I lost my temper at Naruto."

"Ah, well, it happens." Kakashi stated simply. Naruto looked like he was about to protest, but a look from Sakura silenced him. Sasuke watched all of this, a very small smirk on his usually passive face. They had only been a team for a day and already he was the best behaved. "For today's training, I was planning on having us pair off. Naruto and Sakura, however, have already started without us. So, that leaves Sasuke and Sai. After their match, we'll be doing taijutsu training."

With a nod, Sasuke turned his attention to the strange artist, who was smiling angelically at him. Preparing their stances, the two dark-haired men began their match, each with a purpose of proving themselves as the driving force.

* * *

The outcome of Sai and Sasuke's match was a little hazy. Whereas Sasuke was paralyzed by Sai's ink snakes, the artist was caught in a genjutsu cast after looking into Sasuke's mangekyo sharingan that rendered him completely useless. Sasuke was able to break free from Sai's snakes after some struggle, but before he could make a move, Kakashi stopped the match.

"It's time for taijutsu training," he had said cheerfully, though Sakura knew that he really wanted to stop before Sai got seriously hurt. Not knowing how far Sasuke would take the match, it was safer to stop it. Sasuke released his genjutsu, and Sakura ran to heal Sai. Sasuke felt a surge of anger go through him. Sakura hadn't run to him. Instead, she chose to attend another man first. Even if Sai was worse for wear than Sasuke, the Uchiha remembered a time where Sakura would have put his health above all others.

When Sakura approached him and offered to heal him, he refused her services. Snarling at him, she told him not to be "a stubborn idiot", and proceeded to do it anyways. The feeling of her cool, pleasant chakra entering his body was an incredible sensation. Her delicate, careful hands roamed his back, feeling for any spots of soreness before moving up to his hair to heal a nasty bump. He imagined her hands running through his hair, pulling and tugging while she lay beneath him. He shivered.

"You're all better now, Sasuke-kun," she told him with a sad smile. Her hands lingered in his hair a little longer, and when she removed them, he was grateful. Her touch had been overwhelming.

During taijutsu practice, Sasuke realized that their team was incredibly compatible. Sasuke was the fastest. Sakura was the strongest. Sai was the most dexterous, Naruto the boldest, and Kakashi the most calculated. Together, their taijutsu skills alone could have taken down an incredibly large group of ninja with relative ease. Sasuke's analytical mind had already begun combination technique ideas that he would speak to Kakashi about later.

Once they were done fighting and training ground three was completely destroyed, the group barely even feel the cold air outside. They were all sweating and breathing heavily.

"Well, that was informative." Kakashi declared from the branch he was sitting on. "Tomorrow we'll meet at the same time in training ground five. Prepare to utilize ninjutsu."

They all nodded. At that moment, three messenger hawks appeared, one stopping in front of everyone except for Sasuke and Kakashi. The other three opened theirs and read the messages within.

"It's from Ino-pig," Sakura chirped. "She's having a small dinner party tonight!" Her eyes were wide with excitement. Sakura hadn't had a chance to talk to Ino about anything that had happened the past few days.

"You'll get to see everyone again, Sasuke! Dattebayo." Naruto put his hand on Sasuke's shoulder with a sunny smile.

"I wasn't invited, dobe," Sasuke frowned.

"Don't be stupid! That's only because they don't know you're here." Naruto smiled wider. "I'll write to Ino and tell her I'm bringing a guest. No one will see it coming!" The jinchuriki threw his head back and laughed.

"Naruto…" Sasuke growled, about to tell him there was no way in hell that he'd be subjected to a night filled with Ino Yamanaka.

"Please, Sasuke-kun…" Sakura's voice stopped him in his tracks. "Please come with us." He turned to look at her. Her wide green eyes were staring at him, imploring him to accompany them. For some reason, he didn't have the heart to tell her no. In fact, if she kept looking at him like that, he was sure that he would give her whatever her heart desired. Purposefully looking away from her, he just nodded.

A smile broke out on both Sakura and Naruto's faces. Throwing his arm around Sasuke, Naruto began walking forward, describing to Sasuke how everyone was still exactly the same as before, with the exception of Hinata Hyuga. Sakura followed on the other side of Naruto, walking a little behind and observing the two with a small smile on her face.

"It seems that Sakura has some influence over Sasuke," Sai observed to Kakashi, who had moved to stand by him. "Was that always the case?"

Kakashi pondered for a moment. "Sakura has always held a special place for Sasuke. Besides his mother, she's the only girl who's ever been close to him. She's always had some influence, though I don't think Sasuke even realizes it." Kakashi paused again. "What his feelings for her are, I'm not entirely sure. Sasuke isn't exactly a romantic, and I think he'd be too afraid of hurting Sakura to ever try and engage in anything beyond friendship. We'll have to wait and see if that changes or not."

Sai nodded, watching the group. Romantic relationships were an enigma to him. He did not understand how to form one. Ino, the girl he found himself becoming more infatuated with as the days went by, never hid her emotions. She was easy to read as an open book, full of honesty and truth. Even then, Sai still did not know what was going to set her off or make her happy. He was learning carefully by reading romance novels before deciding if he actually wanted to embark in a relationship. Sai couldn't even imagine what it would be like for Sasuke and Sakura, who both often hid their emotions and worked in ways the artist hadn't learned to comprehend.

Shaking his head slowly, Sai agreed with Kakashi as they began to walk. "I suppose we will just have to watch how things evolve between them."

* * *

Ino Yamanaka was humming to herself, styling her long hair in a sultry half up-do. The top half of her hair was braided and intricately spun around her head into a large bun. She unwrapped her the remainder of her tightly coiled hair, revealing long curly princess tresses. She placed a few amethyst pins around the bun, making her blonde hair look even more delicate.

Satisfied with her hair, Ino moved to polishing up her face. She really didn't enjoy wearing makeup like some women in the upper-class did. While it was true that Ino was always dressed in the most fashionable of ways, she was still a ninja. She didn't need a ton of makeup unless it was for a mission. Her skin was impeccably clear, her large blue eyes were framed with lashes so thick she didn't need anything extra, and her lips were naturally plump and rosy. All she ever wore was a little powder and a small bit of lipstick, and she only ever did it when there was a chance of seeing one certain man.

Ino began to wonder what Sakura was going to wear, and whether her spirits had improved since the night at the theatre.

" _You've got to find your own happiness, forehead_ ," Ino thought. She knew that Sakura wouldn't be happy until she saw Sasuke again. With a sigh, Ino rose from her chair to move towards her closet. At that moment, a messenger hawk tapped on her window. Ino recognized Naruto's messy scroll easily, and wondering what he wanted, quickly read through.

 ** _Hello Ino-Chan! If it's not too much trouble, Team Seven has a surprise guest we'd like to bring to dinner. I know you wouldn't mind, seeing as how you love to have company over. Thanks Ino!_**

Ino laughed as she read Naruto's signature. It was true that she loved having company, and to her, the more the merrier. After scrawling a quick note giving her approval and sending it off with the hawk, she dressed with more vigor than normal.

" _What surprise guest could possibly be coming?"_ Ino thought. _"I know everyone in Konoha."_

After putting on her violet and gray layered dress with a rich diamond pattern imprinted into the bodice, she ran downstairs to tell her maid to set another place at the table in between Sakura and Naruto. She then double checked that her pianoforte was in tune and that the appropriate songbooks were out. If there was a stranger coming to dinner, then there would be a need to impress him or her. Secretly, Ino hoped that this stranger was a man who could make Sakura happy. If that were the case, Ino was going to make sure that he would be entertained at all times by the young ladies and gentleman of Konoha.

If there were two things Ino Yamanaka was sure she was good at, it was throwing parties and meddling in the lives of others.


	6. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5:_

More than once did Sasuke ask himself why he had agreed to go to dinner as he rode with Team Seven in Naruto's carriage to the Yamanaka residence. Sitting across from Sakura and next to Naruto, the Uchiha put up with Naruto's boundless energy, Sai's awkward comments, and Sakura's distracting presence, all for the sake of a dinner he had no interest in.

Sakura looked beautiful, dressed in an elegant berry and mahogany dress. It was not overly frilly, but instead had a beautiful sparkling fabric around the neckline that traveled in the center of her dress all the way to the tip of her skirt. It revealed a good amount of skin from her neck to her chest. A necklace lay just above her bust, attracting Sasuke's eyes directly to her neckline. He swallowed and looked away, choosing instead to stare out the window.

Naruto's carriage was the last to arrive at Ino's home. Sasuke was not surprised at the delicate and intricate architecture present at Ino's house. It was just as fancy and feminine as she had been. The man sighed, realizing that he was going to be presented with many people he did not care to talk to. Sakura was the last to depart the carriage, and Sasuke was waiting to help her out. While he didn't necessarily want to be around her too much, he still wanted her to know that he was a gentleman.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun," she whispered to him, a gentle smile on her face. Sasuke felt his heart beat faster than he anticipated, and he hated it.

"Hn," he replied before letting go of her hand and stalking off to follow Naruto. Sakura watched his handsome form walk away with sadness filling her jade eyes. She could see the royal blue ribbon that tied back his hair, and could only imagine what it was like to pull that ribbon out. Sakura didn't know if she wanted to hit him for ignoring and confusing her or kiss him for being the man he was.

Sai offered his arm to Sakura after seeing what had occurred, to which she was grateful for. If Naruto was the Sun to her Spring, then Sai was the rain: unpredictable, calming yet aggravating, and necessary for flowers to bloom. She needed him the same way she needed Naruto. Sakura was also the only one of Team 7 to notice the way Sai studied Ino, and was helping him work out his feelings for her.

Team 7 was greeted at the door by the Yamanaka's butler. Taking their hats and coats, he then showed them to the parlor where the rest of their comrades were waiting. They could hear the cheerful noise coming from the parlor, and for the first time, Sakura felt nervous. She hoped everyone would be kind to Sasuke, and she feared him getting upset at his former peers.

Naruto, however, had no qualms about throwing the door open and announcing to the entire room the Sasuke had returned, and so he did just that. As soon as Sasuke stepped foot in the room, it went silent. Everyone was staring, dumbstruck at the Uchiha.

"Sa-sasuke-kun!" Ino breathed, totally astounded.

"What are you doing back, Uchiha?" Inuzuka Kiba howled, rising from his chair.

"He's back to serve the village! He's rejoined Team 7!" Naruto shared cheerfully before moving to stand by Hinata, totally unaware of the confusion in the room.

Remembering that she was the hostess, Ino snapped out of her state of disbelief. "Please, do sit Sasuke-kun! You as well, Sai-kun. Forehead, make yourself comfortable."

Sasuke moved to sit in a chair by Shikamaru and Aburame Shino where the two were engaged in a game of chess. Despite his laziness, Shikamaru was a genius, and had a calm demeanor that Sasuke had appreciated as a child.

"Are you actually here to serve Konoha?" the lazy ninja asked Sasuke as the rest of their comrades began snapping out of their disbelief to return to their conversations.

"Aa," Sasuke confirmed.

"Hm, I'll believe you. Just don't change your mind anytime soon. It'd be a drag to have to do something about it."

For once, Sasuke actually chuckled. He then turned to look at the rest of the room. Choji and Kiba were engaged in a discussion of something trivial that the Uchiha had no care to overhear. Naruto was sitting next to Hinata, regaling the tale of how Sakura had attacked him at the training ground that morning. Sai's attention had been taken over by Ino, who was shamelessly flirting with her guest. Sakura perched back in her chair, amused at the scene in front of her. All of them stole glances at him every so often, and he knew they were all on edge.

Not half an hour later, a maid announced that dinner was being served. Sasuke entered the Yamanaka's opulent dining room. It was all crystal vases, flowers and intricate tapestries. Around the beautifully ornate table were little cards with guest names on them. Sasuke found a spot that simply read "guest", which he was sure could only be his. The man discovered that he had been placed in between Sakura and Naruto. Across from him sat Sai and Hinata.

Sakura was to Sasuke's left, meaning whenever he tried to move his spoon or drink his wine with his left hand, there was a chance that their elbows would brush. This was not good for Sasuke, seeing as he wanted to avoid all physical contact that he possibly could with Sakura. He tried to keep his movements as tight and minimal as possible. He ate his food carefully, knowing he was being watched by his hostess and her friends. As the main course was served, Ino finally decided to ask him about his plans.

"So, Sasuke-kun," She began pleasantly. "How have you enjoyed being back in Konoha? It's not very different, eh?"

Sasuke nodded in response. Not getting any other answer, Ino asked another question. "Do you have any plans while you're here?"

"Missions. I plan on serving Konoha as a ninja." Sasuke looked around. Sakura, Sai, Naruto, and Hinata were listening carefully.

"Have you enjoyed being back with your team, Sasuke?" Hinata asked, her lavender eyes wide. Naruto stared at her, enrapt with the lilting sound of her voice.

"Aa," was his quiet reply. He didn't like being put on the spotlight like that, but he knew Hinata wasn't a loud mouth the same way his blonde hostess was, and meant it with kindness.

"He's been having the time of his life!" Naruto puffed his chest proudly towards Hinata and took a sip of his wine. The Hyuga girl blushed and giggled.

"Hn, dobe." Sasuke muttered.

"What was that, teme?"

"Besides missions, do you have anything else of interest to you?" Ino interjected. There was no way in hell that she was letting a fight break out in her carefully decorated dining room. Her mother would kill her.

"Hn…" Sasuke didn't know if he should give an answer.

"Surely you'll want to restore your clan, considering all of your family is deceased." Sai said as he took a bite of his dinner. For a second, those at the table froze, watching Sasuke. Sakura made a mental note to punch Sai in the face later, and then inform him that it was impolite to refer to someone's dead family.

What surprised them all was Sasuke's answer. "Yes. I do." He averted his eyes from those around him, instead taking another sip from his wine.

Ino darted to Sakura and then back to Sasuke's. "Do you have any particular woman in mind to be your wife?"

Sasuke snorted. "Of course not. I just returned a week ago. I haven't had the opportunity to meet any women."

Sakura felt her heart break all over again. She had known that there was no chance of Sasuke loving her, but the knowledge that he was going to be openly seeking a wife hurt her more than she had prepared for. She did not, however, let her heartbreak be seen. In fact, Ino and Hinata were the only ones to glimpse the pain in her eyes before they hardened into apathy.

"Well…there are plenty of lovely women in Konoha." Ino forced a giggle, before deliberately changing the subject. "So, forehead, how have things been at the hospital?"

Sakura took a dainty sip of her wine before replying. "Tsunade-sama and I have been developing a drug that when injected will cause the patient to fall into a deep, peaceful slumber. We figure it can be used on enemies as well as patients. Other than that, I've performed about ten surgeries this week. It's exhausting."

"You really should relax, Sakura." Ino chastised. "You work yourself too hard!"

Sakura smiled wryly before taking a bite of her dinner.

"The hospital is my life. I don't have any other distractions, and I have no suitors to spend my time with." Sakura forced herself not to glance at Sasuke.

If Sakura had been willing to look at the man who held her heart, she would have seen the way he darted his eyes to her, hanging on her every word.

* * *

After finishing dinner, Sakura was determined to stay as far away from Sasuke as possible. When the men went outside with Shikamaru while he smoked a cigarette, Ino and Hinata pounced on Sakura.

"How are you feeling, forehead?" Ino asked her as she polished her flute in the Yamanaka's music room. The girls would be performing after dinner. They had all been musically trained not only because of their upper-class status, but because it could help with undercover missions in other places.

"It doesn't really matter, does it?" Sakura replied bitterly. She was sitting at the pianoforte, fiddling with the keys as a warm up.

"Ah, but it does, Sakura-chan. You're the one who told me not to be afraid of my feelings. It's taken a while, but I almost feel ready to confess my feelings to Naruto." Hinata blushed prettily while fiddling with the strings on her harp. The lovely woman was dressed in an ice gray silk gown that had small lavender roses attached all over the skirt. Her inky black hair was tied up in a graceful but simple bun, with a small lavender comb holding it up. If Naruto was the Sun, Hinata was the moon: beautiful, soft, and serene. Whether the idiot realized or not, Hinata was his other half. The sun would always chase the moon, and vice versa. "Does Sasuke know you love him?"

"I'm not sure," Sakura confessed. "I confessed to him once, but that was years ago. We were so young then, I'm sure he doesn't even think about it." She sighed. "Once again, it doesn't matter. He's looking for a wife, and I'm sure that I'll never be that to him."

"I refuse to listen to that talk!" Ino screeched. "You are more important to him than you realize. He is just a stubborn imbecile, like most men. You're beautiful, strong, and too good for him, forehead." If Sai was the rain, then Ino was a rushing waterfall: refreshing, vigorous, and dazzling. Her endless loyalty and support for Sakura was more than the rosette could ask for.

Sakura smiled at her best friend. "Thanks, Ino-pig."

"No problem, forehead." Ino then smiled mischievously. "You know, if you really want to learn how he feels about you, then you should ignore him. Act like he doesn't exist. Flirt with other men, and have a good time. If he feels something for you, then he'll come to you. If he doesn't, then you can move on."

"I don't know about that, Ino…" Hinata murmured, concern appearing in her eyes.

"I don't think that flirting with other men would be a good idea, for my own sake." Sakura pondered aloud. "If I ignore him, though, it might be better for the both of us. From the way he's been acting, he obviously doesn't want to be around me. If that's the case, I'll just give him what he wants." Sakura's face contorted into a dull smile.

"Please don't make yourself unhappy for him, Sakura-chan," Hinata implored, moving to grab Sakura's hand.

The pink-haired kunoichi just chuckled darkly. "It's a bit too late for that, Hinata."

The women then heard the sound of the men reentering the great hall, making their way towards the music room. "Ah, get ready ladies!" Ino ordered. The group of ninja slowly meandered in, with Sasuke bringing up the rear.

"Ah, it's my favorite time of the night," Naruto commented cheerfully, winking at the three girls. Hinata blushed, while Sakura and Ino laughed at his silly flirtations. Sakura adjusted her place on the piano stool while Ino turned her music to the correct page. Hinata cleared her throat delicately while retaking her seat in front of her harp.

The men all seated themselves with the exception of Sasuke, who stood watching from the back, his delicious figure leaning against the wall. While Sakura appreciated the view, she would not give in to her temptation to constantly glance at him. She had a piano to play, after all.

The three women began to play together so harmoniously it could make someone cry. Sakura masterfully played the piano, letting out rich notes that added layers to the song. Ino played her lofty flute so that it pierced through and harmonized with the piano. Hinata completed the song with her delicate harp and lark-like soprano that added a layer of calm to the song. All-together, they appeared as a trio of nymphs, each beautiful and vastly different from each other.

While all the men appreciated the three women's talents, Sasuke couldn't help but watch Sakura the entire time. He remembered how much she had struggled to find the instrument that suited her as a child. She had gone from the violin to the flute to the harp, not succeeding at any of them. Now, to see her playing the keys with such a vigour and delicacy, producing one of the most heartfelt songs he had ever heard, brought him no small amount of pleasure. Her beautiful green eyes were entirely focused on the music notes in front of her. Her lips were pursed in concentration, and her cheeks were flushed from the adrenaline that came with playing an instrument.

Sasuke thought, with some irony, that it was very funny that Sakura's instrumental affinity was the same as his own. His mother had taught him to play the piano at a very young age. It was one thing that he had excelled at that Itachi hadn't. His elder brother could not play an instrument for the life of him. Sasuke could remember the way his father had smiled at him with approval whenever he was learning to play, something he had craved as a child.

After the ladies finished the first song, they received some applause, though no one was more vocal than Naruto.

"Ah, Hinata, that was incredible! Dattebayo!" The Hyuga girl looked as though she could faint.

The next song was a melancholy one about eternal winter. Sasuke noted as Sakura's demeanor saddened with the music, as though the song she was playing on the piano was an extension of her. He hated seeing her sad like that. Even if she was just a teammate, it still wasn't right for a woman like her to feel like that. Sasuke, however, was at a complete loss as to what he should do. It wasn't his place to do something, either. He was not a family member or a lover. He was simply a teammate.

" _Why do I even care?"_ Sasuke thought to himself as he stared at the pink-haired woman. " _What is it about her that makes me care?"_

Sasuke watched her for the rest of the performance, not moving a muscle. She, however, didn't look at him once. Sakura was so caught up in the music that she didn't even realize when her eyes closed softly for a few moments, her mouth slightly agape. Sasuke did, though. Seeing her passion take over was incredibly enticing for him. He wanted to see all the different sides of Sakura, especially her passionate one. He wanted to see her flushed with excitement, eyes wide with pleasure as she lay in his bed.

As the performance ended, the women all curtseyed, and when Sasuke made eye contact with Sakura, he could see the girl visibly shiver, before forcibly looking away to plaster a smile on her face at Naruto and Sai.

* * *

As Sasuke entered his home that night, he could not deny that during her performance, he had wanted her in his bed. There was no doubt that she had become incredibly beautiful and arousing over the course of seven years. Once again, Sasuke had to force himself to stop thinking about the girl. He knew if he did, it would be too easy to give in and seduce her, and inevitably hurt her.

Instead, he forced himself to think about the upcoming mission. It was only 5 days away, but to Sasuke, that seemed like an eternity. Before leaving, Team 7 had given the others a quick rundown of the mission so that they wouldn't get in the way. The rumored illegal weapons specialist went by the name of Yoneda Susumu. The plan was for Sasuke and Naruto to steal the majority of the attention in the room. Sai and Kakashi would sit on the sidelines, working as backup in case Sakura needed it while she flirted with the criminal. She would then try to get him alone, and use her own interrogation tactics to get a confession out of him before arresting him.

Sasuke had seethed at the thought of Sakura willfully flirting with another man, even if it were for a mission. She was, however, a fully grown woman and a capable shinobi. He had no say in the matter. He really didn't take well to the idea of being a distraction, either, but he supposed it couldn't be helped. His return was sure to shake the aristocracy of Konoha, and it would make the mission easier to accomplish. He would be forced to mingle with silly women and pompous men who had no idea about the power he held. To the upper-class, he was just another one of them.

" _Well,"_ he thought. " _At the very least, I can begin searching for a wife. Then, maybe I'll stop thinking about Sakura."_

Images of her beautiful form playing the piano, decimating the earth on the training ground, and watching a play in the theatre flooded through his mind. He shuddered again, pushing those thoughts away. In his room, he walked over to the small table where a bottle of Brandy was sitting. He poured a large amount into a crystal glass, and quickly downed the entire thing. He then poured another, but slowly sipped on it this time.

"Damn that woman," he muttered to his empty room. He walked over to his window and began staring out at his snow-covered grounds. In a month, the snow would be completely gone and spring would begin to bloom. Spring. That was always Sakura's favorite time of year. As genin, Sakura would force Naruto and Sasuke to go see the cherry blossoms bloom on the far edges of Konoha. They would spend days there while Sakura played among them like a child.

"It's not really spring until the cherry blossoms bloom!" She would chirp to her teammates. Even Sasuke had enjoyed himself during those trips. Her smile had been infectious, her laugh had mingled with the chirping of birds, and her beautiful pastel dresses had made her blend with the spring scenery.

Sasuke had always been a man who preferred the winter. There was something beautiful about the snow that had always appealed to him. It was peaceful, cold, and harmonious. That was why it was so strange that for the first time in his life, he felt a longing for Spring to come. To see the colors of the Earth, to see the creation of life, and to see Sakura smile effortlessly seemed so appealing to him.

Downing the rest of his Brandy, Sasuke thought again that he needed to find a wife immediately, before he hurt Sakura and himself.

* * *

After Sakura was safe in the confines of her room, she nearly ran to her bathroom. Drawing a hot bath and pouring some lavender oils in the water, she removed her clothes quickly and stepped into the soothing water. There was nothing Sakura loved more at the end of a stressful day than a hot bath, and today had been incredibly stressful.

She couldn't stop thinking about the way Sasuke had looked at her after the performance. His eyes had been darker than normal and appeared almost animalistic. He had removed his jacket, and she could see the outline of his hardened muscles underneath his white shirt. The collar of his royal blue vest had come up just below his chin, emphasizing the sexy line of his jaw. In that moment, he had incited a feeling in Sakura that she had never felt before, and she had shivered. It had been an overwhelming experience. She had not looked at him again for the rest of the night, choosing to sit diagonal to him in the carriage so she had no reason to.

Sakura finished her bath more quickly than usual. She was too anxious to sit still. Drying herself and putting on a soft cotton nightgown with a ruby ribbon holding it together just above her bust, the girl brushed her hair and made her way to her to her vanity and opened her bottom left drawer. She pulled out a hidden bottle of Brandy and a crystal glass. Walking over to the table by the window, she took a seat and poured a glass. Sipping daintily, the girl felt herself relax as she watched the snow fall outside.

Not even Ino knew she enjoyed the pleasures of alcohol once in a while. She was Tsunade's student, after all, and the Hokage was notorious for drinking. On days like this, when Sakura's thoughts were threatening to get the better of her, she relied on a glass of Brandy or Sake to help her relax. Instead of thinking of Sasuke, Sakura began to focus on the scene out her window. She knew that very soon, the snow would melt away, and then it would be springtime again. Her garden would bloom again, and more importantly, the cherry blossom trees would begin to sprout on the far edges of Konoha. It was her favorite time of the year. Nothing was sweeter or fresher than the smell of cherry blossoms, no matter what the weather was like. Even during the winter, the cherry blossom trees always had the most beautiful ice sickles. Snow froze like crystals and diamonds on the tree branches.

" _Maybe spring will bring change,"_ Sakura almost prayed. " _Maybe once spring comes, my heart won't hurt as badly."_

Finishing her drink, the girl continued to stare out the window. When she was younger, winter had been her least favorite time of year. As she'd grown, however, it became almost as dear to her heart as spring. There was something peaceful about the snow outside, and it was oddly comforting. The winter had taught her not to rush spring, but instead love all the seasons as they came.

Pouring herself another drink, Sakura wondered what Sasuke was doing on that cold winter's night. Was he in bed, asleep? Or out walking around the Uchiha grounds? She sighed, knowing it was useless to wonder. He would never think about her if he didn't have to. He would soon have a wife that would take up his attention, and Sakura would become just an acquaintance. She would be a memory to him.

When Sakura finally fell asleep that night, she dreamed about being lost amongst the cherry blossoms. A voice called out to her, but she was never able to find the man to whom it belonged.


	7. Chapter 6

_Chapter 6_

Sasuke didn't see much of Sakura until the night of their mission, with the exception of their daily training regimen. Even during that time, they never sparred. Sakura would always opt to partner with Kakashi or Sai, leaving Naruto to handle Sasuke. After training, Sakura would decline going to tea or dinner with them, claiming she had too much work to do. The Uchiha told himself that this was a good thing. If Sakura wasn't around him, then his thoughts wouldn't be constantly plagued with her.

The night of the mission, however, proved to be a different story. Team Seven met up at Kakashi's mansion before they departed to the party. Sakura was going to arrive with Kakashi and Sai, while Naruto and Sasuke would get there a few minutes after. Sakura was the last one to arrive, and when she did, Sasuke actually had to turn away to compose himself.

Sakura entered wearing a dress with a neckline so low and a waist so tiny that it was almost sinful. It was a beautiful scarlet layered number with white all over. The bustle was larger than normal, allowing for a small train to behind. A cameo pin sat right at the point of her sweetheart neckline, drawing the attention directly to her breasts. She had on black gloves that didn't quite reach the off-the-shoulder sleeves that were draped with white lace. All over the dress were tiny white pearls sewn in. Her hair was up in a mass of coils, with small curls falling at the nape of her neck. She had even put on a small amount of lipstick and rouge to compliment the red of the dress. Her neck and ears were adorned with pearls. Overall, she made for a breathtaking distraction for whatever criminal they would come upon.

As soon as he caught a glimpse of her, Sasuke immediately veered his head away. His jaw had dropped and his face was contorted in astonishment. The thought of Sakura dressing in such a sultry way for another man, even under the guise of a mission, made him angry. She looked delectable, and if Sasuke had been another man, he would have taken advantage of her so easily.

Uchiha Sasuke, however, was definitely a gentleman. If anything, he felt angry at himself and at Sakura. He did not want to feel this attraction for his teammate.

"Ah, Naruto, I thought we agreed you weren't going to wear orange for once? Shannaroo," Sakura thumped him on the head with her black fan. "Why don't you try wearing purple? Hinata would appreciate it."

"Ah, yo-you're funny, Sakura-chan!" Naruto stammered, rubbing the back of his head. Sasuke had learned that anytime the Hyuga heiress was mentioned, his best friend would blush and stammer. It seemed that Naruto was falling for the girl, but Sasuke didn't think he realized it.

"Alright, let's go over the plan one more time," Kakashi told the group. "We will get there and pinpoint Susumu." Kakashi pulled a black and white picture from his pocket. "This is what he looks like. Sakura will distract him, and hopefully he'll be intoxicated. Then, a few minutes after Naruto and Sasuke arrive, Sakura will get Susumu to dance with her. She can try to interrogate him on the dance floor, and then lure him into a private room. Sai and I will follow to make sure everything goes as planned. Then, she can use whatever means necessary to silence and arrest him. Naruto and Sasuke, your job is to keep the focus of the ballroom on you. I cannot stress enough that none of you except for Sakura should be revealing any of your power to anyone at this party. It is an undercover mission. Do not blow cover. The anbu will be waiting for my signal to take Susumu away to the Hokage's office."

Everyone nodded at their sensei. "Alright. Sakura, Sai, let's go." Kakashi offered his arm to Sakura, which she obligingly took. She smiled at a joke he made, her entire face lighting up. Sasuke felt his insides coil in anger at the sight. They looked like a couple on the brink of marriage, and it infuriated Sasuke. Kakashi and Sakura were far too close for his liking.

It was a good thing that they left with Sai before Sasuke's mood got even worse. He wouldn't have been able to help the scathing comments he would make at them. He huffed as he waited for Naruto to finish getting ready. The stupid blonde had indeed changed his cravat and vest to a pale lavender, and it had taken him twenty minutes to do so.

"You own something that isn't yellow or orange?" Sasuke couldn't help but ask.

"I own plenty of colors, dattebayo!" Naruto looked stupidly offended. "I just like orange and yellow the most." He paused for a minute. "But, purple is nice, too. Besides, you don't own anything that isn't red, black, or blue."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Are you ready yet?" The Uchiha was putting on his coat and hat as he asked. Ironically, Sasuke was indeed wearing a scarlet cravat and vest. It matched the shade of Sakura's dress exactly. For some reason, he felt a little superior because of that.

Naruto ran to put on his coat as well. The pair of unrelated brothers walked out the door and stepped into Naruto's carriage, ready for their mission to begin.

* * *

The Nara's ballroom was crowded when Sakura entered, her gloved arm on Kakashi's. She was greeted at the entrance by Nara Shikadai and Yoshino, who were waiting for their guests to enter.

"Good evening, Miss Haruno. Sai. Kakashi. Please, enjoy yourselves tonight."

"Thank you, we will," Kakashi said with a wave. Moving past the entrance and down the grand staircase, the group dispersed. Sakura had picked Susumu's face from the crowd when she walked in. Signaling to Kakashi and Sai that he had been discovered. Sakura made her way to his side of the room, waiting to strike until Sasuke and Naruto walked in.

When the two best friends walked in, the entire room went quiet. The reappearance of the Uchiha heir sent everyone into shock. The two men who entered stole the attention of the room, and it didn't take a genius to understand why. The sunny blonde and dark-haired men were both sinfully handsome in different ways. Together, women would swoon at the sight of them and men would feel their pride wounded. If Sai and Kakashi had been up there, the impact would have been even worse. Whispers broke out across the room and the dancing resumed, but everyone's attention was still on the Uchiha and the Uzumaki.

The mission was easier to accomplish than any of Team Seven had anticipated. The moment Susumu had seen Sakura giving him attention, he had suggested she accompany him to a private room. He was heavily intoxicated, and told her that he would buy her whatever she wanted because he was loaded with money made from selling in the black market. Sakura had actually laughed at him before tying his hands back with chakra strings. The anbu appeared soon after to take him away, and Sakura was left feeling silly. When she left the private room to enter the ballroom again, she was immediately greeted by Kakashi. When he saw the look of humor on her face, he was confused.

"He was so drunk that he didn't even struggle when I apprehended him," Sakura giggled. A look of relief flashed across Kakashi's face. Sai then appeared by Kakashi's side.

"I'm assuming the mission went well?" Sai asked, a smile on his face. Sakura could only nod, she was laughing so hard. She took out her fan and fanned herself, trying to cool her face.

"It seems we heavily overestimated the severity of the mission. Come along then, it seems we have a ball to enjoy." Kakashi said wryly. The small group made their way to the far side of the room where most of their comrades had gathered. Naruto was dancing with Hinata on the dance floor, twirling and whirling as though they were floating on air. Sasuke was nowhere to be seen. Shikamaru was talking with Ino and Temari, the princess of Sunagakure. The two were rumored to be very much in love and would be producing a union that was beneficial for Konoha and Suna. Temari's brothers Gaara and Kankuro were there as well, watching the dancers twirl around the room. Gaara was the Kazekage of Sunagakure, and to have him in the Nara household attending a ball displayed how strong the union between Temari and Shikamaru was.

Sakura curtseyed in front of the group as she approached. "Good evening!" She chirped cheerfully. Everyone bowed back, smiling. Sai was immediately apprehended by Ino. The two went to join the other dancers on the floor, and Sakura smiled appreciatively. Kakashi began discussing some affairs of Suna and Konoha with Temari and Kankuro. Gaara, surprisingly, was the one to approach Sakura.

"Good evening, Sakura-chan," He smiled at her. The redheaded Kazekage was wearing a dark gray suit with a gold and cream patterned cravat. He looked rather handsome, despite the dark circles around his eyes that showed how exhausted he was.

Sakura smiled at him. While he had once been seen as an enemy of Konoha, the man had transformed into a kind-hearted, calming person. After having the one-tailed beast extracted from him, Sakura had been essential in keeping him alive, and he was forever grateful to her. "Are you enjoying the party, Gaara-sama?"

"Balls are always interesting experiences." He smiled. "Would you care to dance?" He gestured towards the dance floor. At that moment, Sakura finally caught a glimpse of Sasuke. He was on the dance floor, whisking around some beautiful young debutante with a licorice black hair and eyes as blue as the ocean. She was wearing a delicately feminine buttercup dress, looking up at him with reverence. Sakura felt her blood boil. She knew Sasuke would be looking for a wife, but she was not prepared for him to find one at the first moment's notice.

Well, she would show him that there was no way she'd let it get to her. Instead, she'd dance with someone who had an even higher status than the Uchiha did. It would prove that she wasn't going to be left hurting, alone. "Of course, Gaara-sama," she smiled at him angelically. For a second, Gaara seemed astounded. Sakura had never smiled at him like that, so prettily and sweetly. Then, after regaining his composure, he offered Sakura his arm and escorted her to the dance floor.

People parted down the dance floor to make way for the Kazekage and his beautiful companion. Whispers reached them as they began to glide on the dance floor like the wind was carrying them. They twirled around with grace and distinction, making them a pleasing pair to watch.

Naruto took a double take when he realized Gaara was dancing with Sakura. Throwing a glance over Hinata's head to look at Sasuke, he saw the man glaring daggers at the Kazekage. Sasuke looked as though he was ready to murder Gaara. Naruto had not been immune to the looks he had seen Sasuke giving Sakura over the course of the week, and he was almost certain that Sasuke felt something for their teammate. Seeing Sasuke look so irate at the sight of Sakura dancing with another man who greatly outranked all of them definitely confirmed his suspicions. He watched as Sasuke moved his dance partner as far away from Sakura and Gaara as possible on the dance floor, before pulling her away to the refreshment table.

"Naruto-kun?" Hinata drew his attention back to her heavenly face. When he looked into her serene, lovely eyes widened with concern, Naruto almost forgot what he had just seen. "Are you okay? You look concerned."

"Ah, teme and Sakura-chan are just stupid." Naruto threw his head back and laughed. "They're too stubborn to admit they like each other."

"It's difficult for Sakura-chan," Hinata told him seriously. "She loves him and cannot tell him. I understand her pain well." Hinata looked away, blushing. Naruto found his own face turning beat red.

"Ah, dattebayo." Was all Naruto could stammer. Many things went unspoken between the two at that moment. Naruto couldn't deny that Hinata had stolen his heart. He had never met anyone as genuine or honest as her. She made him want to be a better man and a better shinobi. After that dance finished, Naruto offered his arm to the girl, feeling much more shy than normal. The couple made their way to Shikamaru and Temari, who were sitting back, watching the dancers in front of them. Gaara and Sakura were still dancing, and Sasuke had begun another dance with the young debutante. Naruto had seen her at parties before, but had never bothered to learn her name. The pair of couples sat together for a small while, laughing and joking before Sakura and Gaara came back.

Sakura was fanning herself and thanked Gaara for the dances. She then made her way to the punch table. As she took downed the fruity cocktail, she saw Sasuke still dancing the night away with the pretty young lady from before. When he made eye contact with her and glared, her anger only grew. It seemed that dancing with Gaara had no effect on Sasuke. She felt the empty cup in her hand crack as Kakashi walked up to her.

"Sakura," he looked at the cup in her hand and then followed her gaze to see Sasuke dancing on the floor. "Ah." He took the cracked cup and placed it on the table.

"Care to dance?" He asked her with concern. Kakashi didn't need Sakura harming a civilian in the middle of a crowded ballroom. A distraction could be the best thing for her.

"With pleasure," Sakura almost growled. She took his arm and he led her to the middle of the dance floor. For the second time that night, Sakura found herself in the arms of a man she didn't love. This did not stop her, however, from dancing with Kakashi even more fluidly than with Gaara. As a girl, Kakashi had taught them all how to dance. Sakura, who had enjoyed it the most, had often asked him to teach her more about the graceful art. Together, they made an excellent pair with Sakura's delicate grace and Kakashi's swift feet. Their eyes never left each other's, as though they were having a serious conversation without words.

If Sasuke had been concerned about Sakura's dance with Gaara, it was nothing like the malevolent fury he felt at seeing Sakura waltzing in Kakashi's arms, once again showing him that the pair far too comfortable with each other. It took everything he had to not push the dainty woman in his arms away and attack Kakashi in the middle of the Nara's crowded ballroom. The two pairs moved closer and closer to each other until Sasuke could have reached his arm out and snatched Sakura into his own arms.

His partner was chattering away about something trivial that he was paying no attention to. Instead, he looked over her head at the rosette who was infuriating him. There was a sexy smile on Sakura's face as she looked at Kakashi. It was almost as though she knew Sasuke was watching her, and wanted to punish him. When she glanced at him, a look of disapproval graced her features before she turned back to their sensei and smiled. The couple whirled away, leaving Sasuke alone with his raven-haired partner.

She was the most infuriating woman Sasuke had ever met. When the dance was over, Sasuke left his partner to get a breath of fresh air on one of the Nara's balconies with a promise to return. He needed to get his anger under control. Sakura was just an annoying woman, and she shouldn't have this much control over his emotions.

It was just his luck that when he walked out, the object of his anger was standing on the balcony alone. She was leaning against the stone railing, looking out at the snow covered grounds. She turned her head when the door shut on the balcony, her eyes growing wide as saucers at the sight of Sasuke. She quickly averted her gaze. He walked up to her side, staring out at the grounds as well.

"Enjoying yourself, Sakura?" He sneered at her.

At the sound of his voice dripping with poison, she turned to look at him, eyes full of rage. "Just as much as you are, Sasuke-kun." Her venomous voice was full of fake honey sweetness.

"I never knew you and Kakashi were so close," he continued. His anger was getting the better of him, even though he had no idea why seeing Kakashi with Sakura made him so angry. "I suppose it was just easy to attach yourself to him. Your feelings are so easily transferable."

Sakura's eyes widened, and her lips parted in surprise. Then, her face flashed with passionate outrage. "I suppose it was just as easy for you to attach yourself to the first pretty young chit you found. She's from Kikuchi family, ne?" She was moving closer and closer to him now, wanting to get her message across. "Nanami, right? Well, I'm sure you'll be happy with her. She's not very bright, but she should be excellent at popping out Uchiha heirs and won't mind too much when you're churlish, heartless, and indifferent towards her."

The two stared at each for a few moments, their faces inches apart. The anger in Sasuke's eyes was clouding and giving away to another look that Sakura didn't recognize. Feeling her knees begin to shake and her lips part, Sakura became overwhelmed by his scent and felt a strong urge to kiss him. Knowing it would be wrong, she turned her face away from him. Sakura began to walk away towards the ballroom before pausing. She looked over her shoulder at Sasuke, whose eyes were heavy upon her retreating figure. "Don't let her fall in love with you. If you do, you'll make her life miserable forever." With that, Sakura left the balcony, leaving the Uchiha to his own overwhelming thoughts.

* * *

Sakura and Sasuke did not interact for the rest of the night. Instead, Sakura danced to her heart's content with Kakashi, Naruto, Sai, and any other man who asked her. Sasuke switched partners for the remainder of the dance, going from one woman to another. He steered clear of his team members for most of the night, and only payed them attention when Naruto announced it was time to leave. Even then, he spoke to no one but Naruto, and he definitely did not look at Sakura.

When Sakura arrived at her home that night, she tore her clothes off and hurriedly made herself a bath. Her heart was heavy with sadness and anger. Why did Sasuke hate her so damn much? It was as though he didn't want her anywhere near him, but the moment she was near another man, he lost his damned mind. Why did it matter to Sasuke if she had another dance partner? If he wasn't going to give her attention, then he had no right to get angry when she gave her attentions to another man. The worst part was that Sakura had no feelings for Kakashi or Gaara. They were just friends.

At the same time, Sakura did not want to create animosity within her team. They still had so much to do as a team that she had make things work between them on the battlefield at least. It was imperative that they learn some kind of balance in the face of danger. Settling whatever weird relationship they had aside, she fully intended on making things work between them. They would just have to avoid each other in social situations. Sakura knew that if she saw him with Kikuchi Nanami or any other young woman again, her heart would just continue breaking until she went numb.

As she lay in the scalding water, Sakura couldn't help but think that going numb towards Sasuke was one of the best options presented to her.

* * *

When Sasuke got home that night, he tore up a part of his family's forest in anger. Full of agitation and confusion, he had chosen to begin training immediately, with little care for what he was doing. His blind rage took over.

Having Sakura show affection to any man other than himself sent Sasuke over the edge. It was as though the love she once held for him had just disappeared from her heart. She barely gave him the time of day, and when she had tonight, she had been vengeful.

Sasuke knew it was selfish of him to think that Sakura would only ever love him. When he had left, the thought of the sweet young girl loving him had comforted him. Now, though, the girl brought him more pain than anything. It was not intentional, but that didn't make it hurt less. He was an Uchiha, after all, and Uchihas felt more strongly than any other clan.

Sasuke knew that he just needed to shut off his emotions. He needed to focus his attentions on finding a wife and training rather than on Sakura's apparent lack of feelings towards him. But the comment she had made earlier kept turning over in his mind.

 _"Don't let her fall in love with you. If you do, you'll make her life miserable forever."_ Her green eyes had looked distraught and bitter when she said that. In an odd way, this had given Sasuke a feeling of warmth. There might be a part of her that still loved him. While he hated for her to suffer, the selfish part of him was grateful for that love.

He knew, though, that he couldn't encourage her affections. It would be totally wrong of him, especially when he did not love her. He wanted her and admired her, but he was not sure where his heart lay. No, it would do better to find a wife immediately. Nanami was a possible choice for that position. She was pretty and ladylike, and came from a decent family. She was not, however, intellectual, passionate, or overtly kind. She was a simple woman with simple tastes, and she would be totally content being alone for most of their possible marriage as long as her material wants were met. While that was what Sasuke thought he wanted, he only felt a pang of sadness when he thought about it.

" _It doesn't matter,"_ Sasuke thought. He wasn't looking for love or passion. He was simply looking for a partner. In order to make that experience efficient, he needed to avoid confrontations with Sakura. They only made his blood boil, and he was unable to control his emotions and thoughts around her. He had come dangerously close to grabbing her and pulling her into a passionate kiss on the balcony before taking her home to spend the night in his bed.

He was determined to change the dynamic of his and Sakura's relationship. Nothing other than polite coldness would come between the two. There was no way he would ever get that close to her again.

* * *

The toad sage, Jiraiya, entered the Hokage's office sometime past midnight. Tsunade was sitting at her desk, drinking sake and looking Susumu's file.

"Jiraiya," she murmured as she saw him come in. "When did you get back?"

"Just now," he responded.

"Well? What have you learned?" She asked him briskly. The Hokage was exhausted, and wanted to sleep as soon as possible.

"What, no small talk?" Jiraiya laughed at her. From the look on her face, she was definitely not in a good mood. "Ah, well, I've found more information about the Akatsuki. I think I've discovered where their hideout is. It seems there are only a few members left."

"Does that mean they'll be coming for Naruto again?" Tsunade breathed sharply. "Even Gaara had the one-tails extracted from him."

During the last year, an attack from the Akatsuki had occurred in Konoha, decimating the South Western area of the village where all the middle-class lived. Naruto was able to stop the attack by reaching out to Pain, who turned out to be one of Jiraiya's former disciples. It had been rebuilt recently, but the remaining Akatsuki members wanted Naruto's nine-tails.

"I don't believe so," Jiraiya said. "I believe, instead, there will be a war. Give me another month to finish my research. If I'm not back by the end of March, summon a Five-Kage summit. I will be leaving again after I finish talking to you."

"Ha," Tsunade agreed. "Be careful, Jiraiya," she added softly.

"I'm always careful!" The proud silver-haired man told his former teammate confidently. He laughed before disappearing out of her office again. "I'll see you before the cherry blossoms bloom."

Tsunade hoped he was telling the truth, but a gut feeling told her that he wasn't.


	8. Chapter 7

_Chapter 7_

For a month following the Nara ball, Sakura and Sasuke did not interact beyond what they needed to. Other than training, they avoided each other entirely. They never sparred together, instead choosing to fight their other team members. Every dinner party, ball, and visit to the theatre was filled with apparent indifference between the two of them. It did not, however, help curb their jealousy or make their hearts feel any better.

Instead, the two sort of floated along, trying to distract themselves from each other. That is why when Kakashi ordered them to spar and work on tag-team techniques during training one day, they were both incredibly uncomfortable.

It was a beautifully morning in March. The sun was out, and life was beginning to bloom around them. Sakura would be turning 19 in two weeks, and the cherry trees were growing rapidly. Team Seven chose to meet early in the morning for training, and the sun was coloring the sky yellow and blue. They were all dressed in their ninja gear, and had been waiting for Kakashi for half an hour.

"Where is he?!" Naruto yawned.

"He's always late, Naruto, and you know that." Sakura stated calmly. She had chosen to stay home the night before instead of going to see another play at the theatre, and therefor she was the only one who was well-rested.

" _Of course she wants to defend him_ ," Sasuke seethed mentally. Though he had not observed Sakura and Kakashi showing physical intimacy, he was still overly-suspicious of their relationship. To make matters worse, the dobe had dragged him out to the theatre last night, and he was exhausted. He had been forced to sit through some tragedy while Naruto flirted with his soon-to-be fiance, and Nanami gushed about all the gossip around the village. Though Sasuke was not seriously courting her yet, she did accompany him to the theatre or a dinner party occasionally. He was mostly apathetic towards her, but she didn't seem to acknowledge or care about that. She was an airhead, and Sasuke had felt himself wishing Sakura were there. Even if they didn't speak often, he found her wit and intellect refreshing.

For Sasuke, spending time apart from Sakura was less beneficial to him than he would have let on. He found himself thinking about her more and more. He watched her when they were together. He knew her facial expressions better than anyone's, and he could almost always make out the emotion in her beautiful green eyes. He found himself longing to grab her hand, to wrap his arm around her waist, to stroke her cheek bone. As he watched her talk to Naruto and Sai that early morning, he saw her brush back part of her hair. In that moment, he desired to see her hair down. It was always up and out of her face, and he had no idea how long and luscious it was.

Today, her hair was once again in a simple bun, held up by a red ribbon. He longed to reach out and pull her hair down, but stopped himself. He could not touch her, because that would only throw off the weird balance they had. Instead, he chose to lean against a cherry blossom tree that had yet to bloom and waited for Kakashi. When he finally appeared, he felt relief. He would no longer have to stand there, trying to divert his eyes from Sakura and keeping himself from throttling Naruto for acting like a fool.

"Ah, sorry I'm late!" Kakashi said for what seemed like the thousandth time. "I was helping-"

"Don't lie to us!" Sakura and Naruto yelled at the same time. Sasuke smirked at Kakashi's guilty face.

"Ah, well, let's just get down to business." Kakashi rubbed the back of his head. "We'll be sparring today, and we're going to mix up the normal pairing a lot. Today, Sakura and Sasuke will be fighting while Naruto and Sai work on team combinations with me."

Kakashi watched as Sakura and Sasuke looked like their eyes were about to pop out of their heads. Sasuke looked full of disbelief, and Sakura looked angry.

"Kakashi" she hissed. "Why can't I work on team combinations?"

"Because Sasuke has been back for almost a month and you two haven't worked together once." Kakashi told them. "I don't think you two understand that since you have the strongest and fastest taijutsu on the team, you need to be learning how to work and communicate together. Before you can do that, you need to spar."

"But-" Sakura began, before she was surprisingly stopped by Sasuke.

"Sakura," Sasuke checked her. She turned to him, breathless at the sound of her name, eyes wide with anticipation. Sasuke almost had his breath knocked away. "Kakashi is right. If we're on a team together, we need to work together."

Sakura just nodded at him, obviously resigned to the fact that she would be sparring with him. Naruto and Sai had already moved to another field that was separated by cherry blossom trees. Kakashi nodded at them before jumping up and disappearing through the small forest. Sasuke prepared himself for the fight, taking off his cloak and hanging it on a tree limb. He was turning towards Sakura, about to dictate the rules of the spar, when he felt the earth beneath him shake.

Jumping swiftly and landing roughly ten feet away, he saw that Sakura had punched the ground, destroying the area where he had been standing not 5 seconds before. She screamed out "Shannaroo!". Quickly putting himself into defense mode, Sasuke prepared to battle his pink-haired teammate.

The two quickly became familiar with each other's tricks. While Sasuke was faster and better with ninjutsu, Sakura was stronger and had greater control of the surroundings because of her immense strength. The fighting developed, becoming more and more intense. Every punch Sakura threw was fiercer and wilder, and every chidori Sasuke aimed at her was more and more deadly. The ground around them was being decimated, far worse than whenever Sakura sparred with Naruto.

It was as though the two were taking this match to let all of their frustration and anger at each other out. All of the pent up jealousy, bitterness, and sexual desire was being sweat out as the two continuously attacked each other.

Sasuke attempted to perform a sneak attack on Sakura. He ran up behind her quicker than lightening, and attempted to grab her from behind. Sakura, however, grabbed his arm and flipped his body over, landing him on the ground. She straddled his lap, raising her fist back to aiming to hit his face. She hesitated. Looking at Sasuke, she saw his dark eyes flash with something intense and animalistic. He was breathing rapidly, his lips parted. Sakura felt herself growing hot. She leaned in closer to him, inhaling his scent. Their faces were inches apart, and it would have been so easy to close the distance between them.

Sasuke realized that Sakura's hair had come down during their battle. It was shorter than he anticipated. It came down to her shoulder and waved lightly in the wind. It was such a lovely shade of pink, glowing in the morning sun. He wanted nothing more than to bury his hands in it, and kiss her senseless.

Just as he had resolved to give in to his temptation, the sound of Naruto's voice was moving closer and closer. Sasuke turned his head towards the noise, cursing under his breath. All at once, Sakura was standing over him, offering her hand.

"I won," she smirked as he took her hand. She pulled him up a little too hard, and their noses almost touched when he was standing.

"Not likely, Sakura," he breathed into her face, before smirking and turning away. "You couldn't even finish me off."

"Hmph, arrogant!" She called him, her face contorted in disbelief. "Just wait until I get my hands on you again! Shannaroo!"

At that moment, Naruto moved out of the woods, followed by Sai and Kakashi. "Sakura-chan! Wait until you see the awesome technique that Sai and I worked out!"

Sakura let out a nervous laugh. She was still a little shaken from her and Sasuke's intense sparring. "Of course, Naruto," she moved to follow Sai and Naruto while Kakashi stood by Sasuke.

"How did it go?" Kakashi asked cheerfully.

"Hn. Fine." Sasuke told him.

"Do you think that you and Sakura will be able to work together as a team from now on?" Kakashi pushed. "I've seen the animosity that has been growing between you two, and I don't like it. Whether you want it or not, Sakura cares deeply about you."

Sasuke waited a few moments to answer, his eyes flashing with confusion and a hint of tenderness. "I do."

Kakashi looked at his student, a small smile of hope hidden beneath his mask.

* * *

A week later, while Team Seven was on a mission just outside Konoha, they were ambushed by the large group of rogue ninja they were searching for.

Naruto had impulsively gone after the leader of the group. Kakashi had quickly followed, leaving Sai, Sakura, and Sasuke to deal with the rest. Sakura was punching the idiots left and right, while Sasuke was taking them out with Kusanagi and various ninjutsu. Sai was a short distance away, providing support from afar.

Sasuke was removing Kusanagi from a ninja's gut when he felt someone coming from behind. He turned around and saw a sword heading straight for his gut. In a pink flash, Sakura came between the ninja and Sasuke, taking the hit. He could see the edge of the blade coming through her back. Sakura punched the ninja who had stabbed her, sending him flying into a nearby tree.

Sasuke felt blind rage spread through him as Sakura collapsed in his arms, her entire being in immense pain.

"Sai!" He called out in wild desperation. The wound was so deep that Sakura was sure to die if she didn't receive medical attention immediately. "Kakashi! Naruto!"

"Sh, Sasuke-kun!" She gasped. "Help me pull this out."  
"Sakura, you'll lose more blood-"

"Just listen to me, Uchiha!" Even as she was losing blood rapidly, her voice still managed to sound venomous. He obliged, pulling the sword out. As soon as he did, the small diamond on her forehead began glowing. Long black lines spread down her face, neck, and disappeared into her clothing. He watched as the giant gash on her abdomen began sizzling, closing and healing itself.

His eyes widened. Sakura was on her feet again abruptly. "Let's go, Sasuke-kun." She told him gently.

"Thank you, Sakura." He told her quietly. She flashed him a smile before running headfirst into the group on ninja. Her power was incredible. She destroyed every last ninja with a small punch to the ground.

Sasuke felt a smirk forming on his face. So that was what Sakura's power entailed. Not only could she rapidly heal herself, but her strength was amplified heavily. She was absolutely fearsome. His felt his heart beating faster in his chest than it ever had.

Sasuke insisted that Sakura ride on his horse with him on the way home. Even though she told him numerous times that she was fine, he would not believe her. Part of the plan for the mission had involved Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi following Sai and Sasuke who were on horseback, from the trees. After Sakura's injury and subsequent fatigue, however, Sasuke refused to let her walk. When Kakashi had encouraged it, there really was no use for Sakura's arguing.

She put her hands around his waist and held tight. Sasuke was traveling quickly to get her home, and they had left the others behind a while back.

"Sasuke-kun," she told him. "You're going really fast."

He turned his head to her slightly. "I can go faster," he smirked.

Sakura blushed, her mind going to other places that weren't necessarily appropriate to think about a teammate. It didn't help that she could feel the definition of his muscles underneath his clothing, and she could smell his deep musky scent every time she breathed in.

"Sasuke-kun?" Her voice roused him as they got closer to her home.

"Hn?"

"Will you be coming to my birthday party?" She was turning nineteen in exactly one week. Naruto was hosting her birthday dance at his home, and most of their friends would be attending. Nanami had been conveniently left off the guest list. Ever since their first day of sparring at the training grounds, Sasuke and Sakura had a different dynamic in their relationship. Sasuke was becoming more protective and kind around her, while Sakura was sweeter and more likely to blush around him.

"Hn," he confirmed with a nod. She blushed into his coat, her arms squeezing tighter than before.

They rode up to Sakura's front door. Sasuke helped her inside, but she insisted that she was fine.

"I promise, Sasuke-kun," she smiled up at him. "Thank you for taking me home. You didn't have to."

"Hn," Sasuke looked at her for a few moments. A faint blush had spread out across her cheeks. She looked adorable, and couldn't help but reach his hand out and poke her in the forehead the same way Itachi had done to him as a child. "I'll see you soon, Sakura."

With that, he disappeared, leaving a confused and blushing woman behind him.

* * *

Naruto went home and freshened up shortly after their mission. Hinata was coming over for dinner that night, and he had to look his absolute best. He found himself falling more and more in love with the Hyuga heiress as the days went by. He was beginning to question how he had ever overlooked or forgotten her while growing up. In fact, he planned to propose to her that very night.

He dressed carefully in a black suit with a golden vest. His hair was carefully combed back in the style Hinata liked best and he wore her favorite cravat. He had just finished dressing and was walking downstairs when he heard a knock at the door. His butler moved to open the door, revealing Hinata. She was a vision of pure beauty. Wearing a mauve and heather dress with small stones flowers embed into the skirt and matching jewelry, she resembled a beautiful orchid. Naruto loved the way her dark hair shined, and how lovely her kind lavender eyes looked when they were on him. Her beautiful curves were displayed to him in her dress, and not for the first time, Naruto had to suspend his thoughts that would surely make Hinata blush if she ever knew about them.

"Good evening, Hinata!" Naruto cheered at her.

"Ah, Good evening Naruto-kun!" She smiled serenely at him. His heart beat heavily in his chest.

He offered her his arm and escorted her to dinner. If it were up to him, she would never let go of his arm. They dined together happily, and later that night, Naruto took Hinata out into his garden. The moon was incredibly large, shining upon the young couple. Naruto could not help but watch Hinata as her eyes took in the world around her. It was a cold night, but the two shinobi felt warm together.

"Hinata…" Naruto began, pulling her face to look at his.

"Yes, Naruto-kun?" She breathed, wide eyed.

"Hinata…I've never had a family." Naruto took a deep breath. "And I've never known if I could ever start one with someone. But with you…I want to stay with you. Forever!"

Hinata smiled at him, he gentle eyes full of happiness. "I love you, Naruto-kun."

"I love you too, Hinata." Naruto looked her directly in the eyes. "Will you be my wife?" He blushed and looked away. He felt Hinata's gentle hand turn his face back towards her.

"I thought you'd never ask," Hinata gave him the confirmation he needed. "I've waited for you for a very long time."

At that, Naruto grabbed Hinata around her waist and pulled her in for their first kiss. It was like breathing in the sky. The moon and the sun had finally found each other, and were working together in perfect harmony. They were meant to be. As they broke apart, Naruto did not relinquish his hold on Hinata. They watched the moon together, embracing their love and relishing in the future they had together.

The next day, they would tell all of their friends and family. No doubt Sakura would be overwhelmed with tears, and even Sasuke would have a small smirk for the pair. But for the night, it was just about Naruto and Hinata.

They were not aware that not far away was a man with a Spiral Mask covering his face, watching and plotting something to threaten their future.


	9. Chapter 8

_Chapter 8:_

Sasuke went home from Hinata and Naruto's engagement party with his head turning. While anyone could see that Hinata and Naruto loved each other, it still surprised Sasuke that Naruto had found a wife before he had. Shikamaru, Sai, and even Choji were ready to be married to their respective lovers. His thoughts flickered to Sakura. She had cried when she learned that Hinata and Naruto were engaged. Her beautiful eyes were full of kindness as she watched them dance around in circles, flashes of pale purple and sunset orange.

What had surprised Sakura was when Sasuke offered her his handkerchief. She took it hesitantly, but not without a smile of gratitude on her face. When he told her to keep it, a blush had broken out on her face.

"Why aren't you dancing, Sakura?" He asked her, eyebrow cocked.

"Aa, I'm too much of a mess." She laughed at herself. "Besides…" she looked away and bit her lip. "No one has asked me to dance who I want to dance with."

Sasuke had felt his cheeks burn a little. Surely, she hadn't been talking about him. Not after the way he treated her. She was probably referring to Kakashi, who Sasuke was certain held her heart.

"I'm sure Kakashi will dance with you," he told her, face blank. She turned to him, angry and tearful.

"I don't want to dance with Kakashi, baka." She turned away from him again. "I already told him no. I don't feel that way for him."

Despite how his heart began to beat faster, Sasuke told himself that it didn't mean that she had feelings for him. It only meant that she didn't have feelings for Kakashi. Sasuke tapped her on the shoulder. When she turned around, Sasuke had his arm offered to her. "Would you like to go for a walk?"

Sakura's face had lit up. They spent the rest of the night walking together in the Hyuga's garden. She had chirped about her birthday party that was coming up in three days, about her work at the hospital, and about how excited she was for Naruto and Hinata's wedding. Sasuke had listened and even replied a few times. Then, when he took her home, he had poked her forehead again.

Sasuke knew that he had to do something about Sakura. He could not deny that he craved her presence, her affection, and even her temper. He was lost and confused. He had not taken Nanami out since the night at the theatre, and the young woman had already found a new beau in one of Kiba's relatives. When Team Seven went out, Sasuke found himself gravitating towards Sakura. At team dinners, they always sat together. After she had gotten hurt, he was incredibly protective whenever they were in public, always keeping an eye out for someone who could hurt her.

Sasuke hadn't talked to Naruto or Kakashi about his problems. He was beginning to grow desperate, though. Sasuke knew that Sakura was becoming more and more dear to him, and that scared him. He needed to talk to someone, he knew. He paced around his room, trying to decide who to go to.

In the end, he decided on someone who was closer to Sakura than he had ever liked. He cursed under his breath, throwing on a coat. He bolted out his front door, saddled up his horse Kuromaru, and sped to the Hatake residence. He beat on the door until Kakashi opened up, his eyes wide.

"Sasuke," he greeted his young student. "Come in."

The Uchiha looked desperate and confused. Kakashi wondered if he had finally realized his growing feelings for Sakura. The gentleman had watched the way Sasuke and Sakura were growing more and more comfortable. Anyone could see that their dynamic was changing. Whether Sasuke was going to make Sakura happy or not was another question.

Kakashi led Sasuke to Kakashi's private office. He then proceeded to pour a cup of sake for the Uchiha.

"So, what brings you here tonight, Sasuke?" Kakashi asked him as he handed him the drink. "Not that I'm opposed to your visiting, but you've never been here so late."

"Aa," was all Sasuke could let out. He was searching for the right words to say.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with a certain pink-haired young lady, would it?" Kakashi smiled cheerfully.

Sasuke gripped his cup tighter, his knuckles turning white. How had it been so obvious? "Hn," he confirmed.

"It's about damn time." Kakashi surprised Sasuke. "I've been waiting for you to realize you love her."

Love. That word hit Sasuke like a brick. It was a term he had only ever reserved for his family, the family that was long gone. As a child, Sakura had represented a different kind of family. She was part of his team. And now?

Now, Sakura held his attention like no one else ever had. She was beautiful, strong, and kind. She had a fearsome temper and she was incredibly brash. She cried too much, she laughed too loud, and she loved too fiercely. She was perfect, and Sasuke realized in that moment, he loved her.

"So what do I do?" The Uchiha growled at Kakashi.

His sensei's eyes went wide, as though he was shocked at Sasuke's abrupt question. "You court her. Show her you love her. Make her happy. Then, you marry her."

"It's not that easy. I don't think she has forgiven me for leaving." Sasuke seethed.

Kakashi watched his pupil carefully and chose his words deliberately. "Sakura is a very strong woman. She has a frightening temper, and its believed that she will surpass Tsunade as a ninja, if she has not already. That does not, however, mean that her heart has changed. She has always wanted to help you. She loves you. From the day you left, she trained harder and fought for what she wanted so that when you returned, you would be proud of her. Along the way, she became proud of herself. She doesn't need your validation; she needs your love. She never forgave you, because she was never angry at you in the first place. If she's been cold or distant, it's because she loves you and doesn't want to get hurt." Kakashi paused, before continuing in a more cheerful voice. "But it seems as though you've been giving her the attention she craves. I knew that having you two spar would set things in motion."

Sasuke huffed. Of course his stupid, perverted sensei would attempt to set them up in the most cunning way possible. "So I just court her?" He asked through clenched teeth. He wanted to get the answer and get out of there as soon as possible.

"Sakura is not that simple of a girl," Kakashi clucked his tongue at him. "Her birthday is this Saturday. Start with that. Get her a present, dance with her at the party, make her smile. Do not ever go near the Kikuchi girl again, unless you want to feel the wrath of Sakura's temper. Give her attention. Let her know you care."

Sasuke nodded. He could not believe that he'd just asked his sensei for relationship advice, especially since he had believed Kakashi loved Sakura. Sasuke downed the entirety of his cup of Sake before standing.

"Thank you," he choked out before bolting from the office. Kakashi laughed as he left. Sometimes his students could be really thick-skulled, especially when it came to their own feelings.

* * *

Sakura got ready for her birthday party in a cheerful mood. The day had been a pleasant one, full of girl time with Hinata and Ino. Tenten, a fellow kunoichi, had been gone on an extended mission with Team Guy, and she was the only one missing from Sakura's normal girl group. They were in a spare room at Naruto's house, getting ready for the party and chattering away.

Her parents had bought her a beautiful gown to wear at the party. It was a beautiful cherry red silk that had rose gold corded accents all over it. The bustle came in at three different places as it trailed down her back, held in place by red and pink decorative roses. The sleeves were a beautiful rose gold lace with cascaded down her shoulders. The bust of the dress emphasized her lovely chest while the corset hidden underneath fit her snuggly. She wore a set of gold and ruby earrings and a simple cherry colored choker around her neck. Her gloves were pearly white, reaching past her elbows. Ino did her hair, coiling the small pieces of her hair into intricate nots around her head.

"Ah, Sakura, you look beautiful!" Hinata gushed. The beautiful future Uzumaki was wearing a periwinkle dress with pale yellow ribbons around the skirt and bodice. She looked like the embodiment of a star.

Ino, on the other hand, was all magenta and pewter. She looked incredibly enticing, but no man would touch her except for one. She had completely captivated Sai's affections in the last month. Rather than proposing, Sai told Ino after Hinata and Naruto's engagement party that they would be getting married at the end of June. Ino had promptly slapped him across the face before showering him in kisses.

Hinata and Naruto would be married by the end of April, Sai and Ino by June. Shikamaru and Temari were to be wed by July, and even Choji had a woman he loved and planned to propose to. Sakura couldn't help but feel left out.

Her thoughts flickered to Sasuke, and her heart began to flutter. He had changed his attitude towards her, and she could say that he definitely cared about her. Whether that care would ever turn into love, however, she did not know. He had stopped giving attentions to Nanami, and it had only gotten her hopes up. He had been so kind to her since the day she took a hit for him, but she told herself that it was nothing more than gratitude.

With a sigh, Sakura smoothed down her dress before smiling at her two friends who were watching her diligently. "Thank you for helping me! You both look beautiful!"

"Of course, forehead!" Ino hugged her best friend. "Now come on! Everyone's sure to be waiting for you down in the ballroom. You wouldn't want to keep your many suitors waiting, now do you?"

Sakura threw her head back and laughed. "Oh yes, the swarms of eligible men who are trampling over each other to acquire my hand in marriage. We mustn't keep them waiting."

Hinata giggled and Ino chortled. The three women made their way downstairs and into the great hall. The sound of music and laughter was coming from the ballroom. Two of Naruto's serving men were waiting outside the doors, and opened them as the girls walked up.

Sakura looked into the ballroom, and tears formed in her eyes. Naruto's grand ballroom was all golden sunshine and warmth. Tonight, however, it was decorated with cherry blossom petals, roses, and orchids. It was pinks and reds and greens, and the air smelled of springtime. The room was filled with her friends, her family, her team, and the man she loved more than anything.

Sakura was met with cheers and applause when she entered. Naruto was in her face, crushing her in a hug. "Happy Birthday, Sakura-chan!" he cheered before letting go to give Hinata his attention. Sai walked to her and shook her hand with a "Many happy returns, Ugly" before moving to whirl Ino away to the dance floor.

Temari and Shikamaru, Gaara and Kankuro, Kakashi, Tsunade and Shizune, and everyone at the party came up to her to wish her happy birthday. She had seen everyone at the party except Sasuke. Her heart was beginning to feel doubtful. Why hadn't he come to talk to her? She had seen him before the whirlwind of people came up to her. He had looked as handsome as ever. He was wearing a red cravat and vest that matched her dress. It was uncanny.

Just as she made her way around the room, watching the dancers, she saw a darkly clad figure approaching from her peripheral. She turned to see Sasuke, determinedly walking towards her, a vision of dark, enticing handsomeness. His hair was down, framing his handsome face. Sakura longed to kiss him all over. She curtseyed at him when he stopped in front of her, and he bowed.

"Good evening, Sasuke-kun!" She smiled at him serenely, her heart feeling lighter.

"Good evening, Sakura," he smirked a small bit. "Happy birthday."

"Thank you," she blushed. "Are you enjoying yourself."

"Aa." He then held out his hand to her. "Would you do me the honor of allowing me to be your first dance of the night?"

Sakura screamed internally. She beamed at him, and he stared in disbelief at how beautiful she was. That red dress she was wearing was sinfully lovely. She seemed to be an angel sent to tempt him. "Of course, Sasuke-kun."

He escorted her to the middle of the ball room before placing his hand on her waist and taking the other in his. The pair whirled around the dance floor for more than one song. People began to turn their heads to the pair. They were perfectly matched on the floor, and more than one person began to surmise that the Uchiha was quite taken with the Haruno woman.

Sakura was floating on a cloud of happiness. Sasuke was giving her attention, and while she didn't know his reasoning behind it, she was too blissful to care. She was in the arms of the man she had loved since the age of twelve, and it was like a dream come true.

"Sasuke-kun," she murmured as they began yet another dance.

"Hn?" he looked oddly at peace, a rarity for him.

"Thank you," she blushed. "This is the best birthday present I could have asked for."

"Aa," Sasuke paused for a moment. "This is not your present."

"Wh-what?"

"I'm not dancing with you as a gift," Sasuke told her, his face totally serious and solemn. "I'm dancing with you because I want to."

Sakura blushed even harder. Sasuke thought she looked like a queen. A queen fit for an Uchiha. "Well then what is my present?"

Sasuke smirked at her. "You'll just have to be patient and see."

Sakura pouted at him but did not argue. As the song ended, Sasuke whirled her off the dance floor. He offered her his arm, and began escorting her around the ballroom. They reached a group of their friends who were all laughing and drinking punch. Naruto pounced on Sasuke, pulling him away for "guy talk". Sai and Shikamaru followed behind. Sakura was left with Hinata and Ino, while Temari left to dance with Kankuro.

"Forehead, since when has Sasuke been in love with you?" Ino demanded of her. "The way he stares at you! It's like you're the only person he cares to see."

"What are you talking about, pig?" Sakura laughed nervously. "He's just being kind because I saved him a few weeks ago."

"I don't think so," Ino laughed. "Sasuke-kun doesn't show affection in order to thank someone. I doubt he would be dancing the night away with you if he didn't care about you."

"No, really. There's no way he could love me," Sakura cast her eyes down.

"Sakura-chan, you cannot give up." Hinata grabbed her hand. Sakura looked into Hinata's warm eyes. "Believe us, please. You should tell him how you feel. Be honest with him."

"Thank you two, both of you," Sakura smiled at them. "But I've already confessed my love to him once. It's up to him. My feelings have been laid bare for him to see."

"But-" Hinata cut Ino off. The men were walking back towards the group. Naruto was laughing at Sasuke, his arm around his best friend's shoulder. The Uchiha looked ready to kill his best friend. Removing Naruto's arm, the darkly clad man walked up to Sakura and stood beside her.

"I believe it's present time!" Ino declared. She grabbed Sakura's hand and pulled her away to a table that was filled with presents. Sakura gasped at the sheer amount of things there were in front of her.

"C'mon Sakura-chan, open mine first!" Naruto cheered as he shoved a large box in her face. With a giggle, Sakura began opening her many presents.

Naruto bought her a set of kunai and a red ruby bracelet. Hinata gave her a new set of gloves and a fan. Ino gave her perfume and fabric for a new gown, Sai a new quill and set of ink. She received parasols, medical books, flowers, and multiple other small gifts. They were all sweet and she thanked everyone from the bottom of her heart. By the time she had opened her last gift, most of her friends were off dancing. She sighed with content, happy to finally be done. She thanked the friends around her, and they all wished her happy birthday before leaving to dance again.

Sasuke was the only one who stayed by her side, which did not go unnoticed by Hinata, Ino, Kakashi, and Naruto.

"Will you accompany me for a walk?" Sasuke asked her as a few maids took away the remainder of her presents.

"Of course, Sasuke-kun." She smiled at him and took his warm, strong arm.

The young pair walked around the ball room to the side door that led to the Uzumaki's garden. All around were twinkling candles illuminating the yellow rose bushes and brick walkway. Naruto's garden was very different from the Uchiha ones. They were not as lovely, but they seemed warmer. Sasuke led Sakura around, watching her carefully. She looked ethereal amongst the flowers, like a goddess of Spring. They walked to Naruto's gazebo, where they stood together and watched the stars.

Sasuke felt the small wooden box in his pocket growing heavier as every moment passed. Deciding it was time, he cleared his throat carefully.

"Are you alright, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura's wide eyes turned on him, his face contorted in delicate concern.

"No," he almost growled. She shrunk away from him. Dammit. He didn't want that. Why was this so difficult? If it were any other woman, he would have just given her the damn present and given it to her. But this wasn't just any woman.

"Sakura…" he pulled the box out of his pocket. It was wrapped in red paper and tied with a black ribbon. "Happy birthday." He handed her the box as her eyes widened with curious delight.

Her delicate fingers pulled on the ribbon and removed the paper, revealing a thin oak box with cherry blossoms carved inside it, wrapping around the Uchiha fan. Sakura's eyes widened, and she stopped breathing. She looked at Sasuke, who was watching her expectantly and nervously. She opened the lid carefully, not wanting even a smudge marring the beauty of the box. Laying against a bed of black silk was a beautiful golden hair brush and mirror, both covered with red velvet cherry blossoms on the back. It was incredibly beautiful and Sakura could not believe that such a present could come from Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun…" She breathed.

"The box was my mother's." He watched carefully as her lips parted in disbelief.

"But, why would you give that to me?" Sakura watched carefully as he raised his hand carefully to stroke her cheek. He did not speak, but an understanding came between them just by looking in each other's eyes.

"Aa," Sakura breathed in understanding. Sasuke cared for her. She was special to him. She had to be in order for him to give her his mother's box and a brand new brush and mirror. It looked like the brush was likely made of pure gold. She blushed heavily. It was obvious that Sasuke had thought the gift over carefully.

"It's beautiful," she murmured. She reached to touch the hand that was stroking her cheek. Electricity flew between the two. "Thank you, Sasuke-kun."

"You're welcome," he replied quietly. He couldn't help but wrap his other arm around her waist and pull her in. Sakura looked up at him. He was so damn handsome, his dark eyes never leaving her own. She carefully placed the box on the railing of the gazebo before placing her hand on his chest. His hand moved to her hair, carefully placing his fingers on the back of her head.

"Sasuke-kun?" Her voice was thick with nerves and attraction. She knew that after that night, everything would change.

Hearing her voice say his name drove him wild. He wanted to feel her underneath him as he drove himself into her, making her moan. Instead, however, he carefully pulled her face to his, and met her lips with his own.

Underneath Naruto's gazebo, on Sakura's nineteenth birthday, Sasuke and Sakura shared their first kiss. Fireworks exploded as their soft flesh met chastely and carefully. Their kiss was all sweetness and delicacy. When Sasuke broke away for air, he saw his beautiful companion looking at him with wonder and pure, unadulterated love. It caused his heart to swell. No one had ever looked at him that way. He knew then that there was no way he would ever give Sakura up.

She would be his wife, no matter what he had to do. "Thank you, Sakura." He whispered to her.

"For what, Sasuke-kun?" She breathed.

"Everything."

Though Sakura seemed a little confused, she accepted his words. "We should probably return soon." She told him reluctantly. "Unless you want Naruto coming to find us."

Sasuke shook his head. He was going to kill that annoying blonde one day. He offered his arm to Sakura again. She took his arm with one hand and grabbed her present with the other.

"Sasuke-kun?" she asked him as they made their way back to Naruto's ballroom. "You didn't…you didn't do that out of pity, did you?"

Sasuke stopped dead in his tracks. He turned to stare at her, his eyes burning with anger. "No."

"Ah, Sasuke-kun, don't be angry at me." She plead with him. "It just surprised me." She turned his face to look at her rather forcefully. She was stronger than she knew. "Please."

He looked at her, his anger almost disappearing. "I'm not angry. Just know that I don't do something unless I want to." He poked her in the forehead before turning away and beginning to walk again.

Her face brightened at that and she let out a giggle. Sasuke wanted to kiss her! The couple continued inside and joined the others on the dance floor. Sakura began to chatter about how much she loved her present. "…I thought that getting to dance with you looking so handsome was a present enough!" She blushed at that, realizing she had let something slip that she hadn't want to.

Sasuke, however, just smirked. It made his pride swell that she found him handsome. What thoughts had she been having about him? "I'm sorry, that was forward of me." She told him, not daring to meet his eyes. She looked up when she heard him chuckle.

"I don't mind," he was smirking at her.

"Well don't get used to it!" She snapped at him. She did not like the condescending look on his face. "And from now on, I expect a great deal of compliments from you." She paused for a minute. "That is, if you plan on continuing to give me your affections."

It was Sasuke's turn to blush and avert his gaze. "I do," he murmured and looked away stonily. Sakura giggled at him. It was as though he was embarrassed by his own affections.

"Also, if I ever hear or see you with another woman, I will beat you to a bloody pulp." Her voice was deadly.

"Yes Miss Haruno," Sasuke snickered at her. His face then turned deadly serious. "And I will kill any man who goes near you."

"Well, I fully expect you to take me to see the cherry blossoms bloom every day this week."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

"You must ask my father for permission to court me."

"I already have." Sakura almost stopped dancing at that moment. How long had Sasuke been planning for this?

"When did you ask?" She looked at the Uchiha, eyes wide.

"When you were training with Tsunade yesterday." Sasuke replied. Sakura began laughing.

"What brought all this on?" The night seemed unreal to her.

"You did." Sasuke was not going to give her anything else. She did not push him, but rather gripped his hand tighter as her heart soared with pure bliss. The new couple continued their waltz on the dance floor, lost in each other's eyes.

Unbeknownst to them, Kakashi was watching from the opposite side of the room with Sai. Ino was dancing with her father, leaving Sai on the sidelines.

"It seems as though Sakura's influence over Sasuke has grown," Sai observed to his sensei.

"Yes, it has. Things are changing within Sasuke's heart." Kakashi remarked.

"I've noticed," Sai thought for a moment longer. "Does he intend to court her?"

"I believe he is already."

"Hm." Sai had watched the interactions between Sasuke and Sakura growing from animosity to companionship carefully. He had seen the changes happening as Sasuke realized his feelings for Sakura. "I suppose he'll want to marry Ugly?"

Kakashi snorted. "That's the plan. I just hope everything goes well for them." Kakashi knew that Sakura and Sasuke were meant to be. He also knew that outside forces were threatening the world around them, however, and he was worried for all of the young couples in Konoha. "We'll just have to see that way the world changes around us."

Sai cocked his eyebrow, but did not question Kakashi. "I suppose so."


	10. Chapter 9

_Chapter Nine_

The cherry blossoms began to bloom the day after Sakura's birthday, and there was still no sign of Jiraiya. Tsunade was deliberating whether she should send a team after him or not when no one other than Orochimaru walked into her office, a solemn look on his face. He sat across from her desk, greeting her. "Tsunade-hime."

"Orochimaru," she nodded coldly from her chair. "What brings you here?"

"I came with the intention of discussing some things with Jiraiya, but I have discovered he is not here." Orochimaru practically hissed in his snake-like voice. "I suppose you know where he is?"

"He left a month ago to infiltrate the Akatsuki hideout. He was supposed to return today." Tsunade poured herself a cup of sake. "What exactly did you plan on discussing with Jiraiya?"

"There has been strange activity occurring near Kumogakure. I have been looking into it, but it seems to be closely linked to the Akatsuki. It looks like they're preparing an army."

"Damnit," Tsunade cursed, breaking the cup in her hand. "We need to find Jiraiya immediately. The old hideout was in Amegakure, but it was shut down after the death of Nagato."

"Allow me to do it," Orochimaru stood up. "Some of Sasuke-kun's former friends are still working for me. I have hunch that Kumo is the key. If I send word to you, call a five-kage summit immediately."

Tsunade nodded. "If you need backup, send word immediately. And Orochimaru, if you fuck up or betray us, I will kill you."

The snake-man chuckled at his former teammate. "Believe me. If the Akatsuki begin a war, it will be just as bad for me as it will be for Konoha."

Tsunade poured another drink in a different cup. She threw it back, contemplating whether to tell Orochimaru of Sasuke and Sakura's relationship. "It seems as though the Uchiha brat has fallen for my pupil."

Orochimaru's eyes widened in shock before his face contorted into a smirk. "It doesn't surprise me. He used to mutter her name in his sleep." He paused. "Have you told him about Itachi's past yet?"

The beautiful Hokage sighed. "Not yet. Even I don't know the entire truth. If you forget, none of us were in Konoha when the Uchiha assassination occurred."

"I believe it would be a good idea to tell him what you know sooner rather than later. You don't want the girl getting hurt in the process."

"Have you gone soft, Orochimaru?" Tsunade smiled bitterly at him. "Well, she lost her heart to him long ago. But she's stronger than you anticipate. I am her shisui, after all."

Orochimaru simply nodded. "I'll depart now. Expect a frog or snake soon." Tsunade smiled genuinely. Some things never change.

"Don't tell anyone about this just yet," Tsunade warned as Orochimaru turned the handle on her office door. "If word gets around to Naruto, there will be no controlling what he does."

Her former teammate nodded before disappearing behind the door, leaving the Hokage to pray for both him and Jiraiya.

* * *

Sasuke held true on his promise to take Sakura to see the cherry blossoms. The day after they began to bloom, he arrived at her house driving his open carriage to see her waiting in her front gardens, making a small crown of flowers. She looked like an angel of Spring in her pale green and gold flowered day dress, her hair rolled under at the base of her neck. It was held back by a comb decorated with golden leaves, and Sasuke would have loved to pull the comb out to reveal her luscious pink hair.

"Good morning Sasuke-kun!" she chirped as he descended from his carriage. She was holding a pale gold parasol, her eyes wide with anticipation.

"Good morning," He took her gloved hand and kissed it lightly. The pinkette blushed prettily. She was not accustomed to such affections from Sasuke.

Sasuke helped Sakura into the carriage and the couple quickly made their way to the cherry blossom forest near the Uchiha residence. The two young lovers were still shy around each other, and so they fell into an awkward but companionable silence. When they reached the edge of Konoha, Sakura could see the cherry blossoms in front of her. She gasped with delight like a child, and Sasuke smiled at her innocence.

They spent the day walking through the trees, talking about the world around them. Sakura felt as though she was floating on a cloud. Only in her wildest dreams had she imagined that Sasuke would be giving her this kind of attention.

"Sasuke-kun?" She murmed as they began to make their way back to the carriage. Small cherry blossoms had fallen in her hair, almost blending in completely. "Is this a dream?"

"What do you mean, Sakura?" The Uchiha looked bewildered.

"I always dreamed of this," Sakura explained. For once, she was not nervous. "Of you looking at me with affection in your eyes. Of us being together, walking through the cherry trees. It doesn't seem real."

"Hn," was all Sasuke grunted. He didn't know what to say in that moment. There was a very long pause before Sakura spoke again.

"What are your intentions with me, Sasuke-kun?" She didn't want to burst her own bubble, but she needed to know. "Are you courting me for the fun of it? Because I'm not a woman who will put up with that, and if you think for one damn minute that-" She was cut off suddenly but Sasuke's mouth engulfing her own. Her senses were overcome with him. Everything was filled with Sasuke.

He deepened the kiss, pulling her lips in between his own, allowing his tongue to dart and lick her lip. She mewled in his arms, driving him mad with longing. He had to stop himself before he got too carried away, and he broke away soon after. Sasuke looked at the rosette in his arms, her eyes widened with passion and her lips swollen seductively.

"I do not intend to court you just for fun," Sasuke told her seriously, his eyes not leaving her own.

"Then why?" Sakura pressed, breathless.

Instead of answering, one of his hands moved from her waist to caress her left one. Sasuke brought her milky knuckles to his lips, kissing them tenderly. "This hand would look nice with a ring on it." He murmured, his eyes not leaving hers.

Understanding his insinuation, Sakura blushed deeply. Her heart was caught in her throat and tears sprung threatened to spring to her eyes. Not wanting to appear weak, however, she quickly turned away and coyly remarked "It would depend on the ring," before darting away towards the carriage.

Sasuke's face flashed emotions of surprise, arrogance, and determination. He quickly ran after Sakura, fully promising to himself that one day, when she was officially an Uchiha, he would make her pay in the most delicious of ways for that bit of flirtation.

* * *

Naruto and Hinata married on the 21st of April. It was a large ceremony that took place in the Hyuuga's large palace gardens. Cherry blossoms surrounded the couple, who were as happy as could be. Hinata wore a beautiful white gown decorated in lavender ribbons and flowers, and her hair was covered in small pearls. Naruto dressed in a black tuxedo and vest with matching shades of lavender with gold and blue accents.

Naruto and Hinata were blushing and smiling at each other as though they were the only two people on the Earth during their first dance as husband and wife. Sakura looked on with tears in her eyes as she stood by Kakashi and Sasuke. Her best friend had found his better half. The sun and the moon were officially married.

Sakura reflected on her life at that moment. Her life really was like a reflection of nature. She was the Spring cherry tree: a little late blooming, bright, and steadfast. Naruto was her sun, Hinata was her moon. Sai was the rain, and Ino was the waterfall.

Kakashi was the lightening that accompanied both storm and sun, lighting up the sky when it was too dark out or providing solace in hard times. Tsunade was the magnolia tree who taught her how to be strong and bloom. Her parents were the soil she was rooted in that enabled her growth.

And Sasuke? Sakura believed that Sasuke was the winter. He blanketed her life in beautiful pure snow, and safely carried her into the blissful spring. He surrounded her, and blended white with green to make a glorious world. As she stood by the stoic man who held her heart, watching his handsome face as it studied the newlywed couple thoughtfully, she was certain that he represented the season she had once dreaded but had come to love dearly. Her tears came fresh as she thought about the possibility that one day, it would be her and Sasuke dancing on the floor as newlyweds.

"They look happy, don't they?" Kakashi remarked as Sakura wiped away tears.

"Ah, that's a bit of an understatement," Sakura chuckled. Naruto had never looked so sunny as when he stared down at his wife.

"I suppose it won't be long before there is another Team Seven wedding," Kakashi turned to look at Sasuke determinedly. The Uchiha smirked at him. This exchange, however, went unnoticed by Sakura.

"Yes! Sai and Ino will be married in a little under two months," Sakura laughed. "Then Shikamaru and Temari will get married in July, and Karui and Choji in August. So many weddings!" She dabbed at her eyes again.

"I have a hunch that there will be another one sooner than you believe." Kakashi was smiling under his mask. Sasuke's smirk had turned to a scowl, and he turned a threatening eye on the silver-haired gentleman. He was going to ruin everything.

"What do you mean, sensei?" Sakura looked at him curiously, eyebrow cocked.

"Ah, nothing."

"But-" Sakura was cut off at the sound of Naruto calling out their names. Hinata and him were walking towards Team Seven, arm in arm. Sakura darted to Hinata before pulling her in for a giant hug. Naruto chuckled and moved to speak to his best friend and sensei while Sakura chattered with his wife.

"Congratulations, Naruto," Kakashi clapped Naruto on the shoulder. "Your parents would be very proud of you. Hinata is a lovely young woman." Naruto felt a small tear form at the corner of his eye, which he quickly wiped away.

"Thanks, Kakashi-sensei." The sunny blonde turned to his best friend, expectantly.

"Hn, don't screw up, dobe," Sasuke smirked at his best friend. "She's too good for you."

For once, Naruto laughed instead of getting angry at Sasuke's insults. "I could say the same to you, teme." Sasuke cocked his eyebrow menacingly.

"Are you still planning on proposing to Sakura-chan tonight?" Naruto almost yelled.

"Shut up or keep your voice down, dead last." Sasuke did not care if this was Naruto's wedding or not. If he screwed up his chances with Sakura, he would kill him.

"What's the hurry anyways?" Naruto asked him. "You just began courting less than a month ago."

"I don't like waiting." Sasuke huffed. "We will be married by the middle of May."

"If she's says yes," Kakashi added. Sasuke turned his death glare towards his sensei. Why did his teammates enjoy making him furious?

Naruto whistled. "May? You really don't want to wait, do you?"

"No." Sasuke seethed. "I don't." It was true. He'd waited the majority of his life to have a family again, and now that he found the woman he wanted, he was not going to prolong the process of making her an Uchiha.

"Well, you have my permission to propose to Sakura tonight! Dattebayo!" Naruto clapped his hand on Sasuke's shoulder, smiling confidently.

"Tch, whatever." Sasuke could help the small, arrogant smile that graced his face.

"Are you prepared for you wedding night, Naruto?" Kakashi asked his pupil seriously. Naruto blushed and stammered, totally unprepared for the question. Sasuke grimaced in pain at his sensei's perverted question.

Luckily, Naruto was prevented from answering when his wife approached standing by Sakura. The two girls looked so happy together. Hinata was shining like moonlight in her white and lavender gown that shimmered when she moved. Sakura was sporting a lovely pink gown that emphasized the green in her eyes. It made the jinchuuriki happy to see the two most important girls in his life so close.

"Naruto, I will tell you now that if Hinata is ever unhappy, I will brutalize you into a bloody pulp." Sakura said to him sweetly. The Uzumaki man gulped before nodding. He then took Hinata's hand in his own and whirled her away for a waltz, away from Sakura's intimidating stares.

Kakashi muttered something about wanting to ask Tsunade to dance, leaving Sakura and Sasuke alone. He offered her his hand, which she gladly took. The two made their way to the dance floor to join their friends.

For the rest of the night, the couple danced, only breaking to talk to Naruto and Hinata or get something to drink. Sakura loved dancing, Sasuke had discovered, and he was more than willing to indulge that love.

When he took her home that night, Sakura was surprised that he was not taking the normal route. Instead, they were going towards the Uchiha home.

"Are we going to your home, Sasuke-kun?" She wondered at him. He did not answer, but instead stopped at the same cherry blossom fields they had been in a few weeks before. The little flowers were falling off the trees, leaving the trails covered in pink flowers. Sakura, though a little confused, did not hesitate when Sasuke offered her his hand as she departed from the carriage. The pair walked closely together as the pale moon watched over them on that warm night.

Sakura sighed contently, prompting Sasuke to look at her. She seemed ethereal in the moonlight, her hair and eyes glowing. Her pale pink dress only made her look more incredible, and the Uchiha felt breathless.

"Thank you for bringing me here, Sasuke-kun," Sakura turned to smile at him. "It's the perfect ending to an emotional night."

"Aa," the Uchiha let out. They were quiet again, but Sasuke's mind was screaming at him. He was not a man of many words, and there was no doubt that his proposal would be much less verbose than most women would deem acceptable. Sakura, however, was not just any woman. His free hand was in his pocket, flipping his mother's ring around in nervous anxiety.

"Are you alright, Sasuke-kun?" He realized Sakura had spoken and was looking at him with concern in her wide eyes.

"Fine," he rasped out, sending an intense look her way.

Sakura's face contorted with anger. "Fine. Don't tell me then. Just hide whatever it is from me."

"No, Sakura-"

"It's not like we've spent every day for the last month together, or that we've kissed each other or that you're courting me or anything. In fact, maybe we should just-"

"Damnit, Sakura!" Sasuke growled. "Would you let me speak? I'm not hiding anything. I…I just.." Sasuke pulled the ring out of his pocket and held it in his fingers.

"Just what?" Sakura refused to look at him. "Just want to get rid of me?"

"I just…here." Sasuke lifted her left hand and she felt something cool sliding onto her finger. She looked at her hand to see a silver band set with a large ruby and two small pearls on either side of the gemstones. She gasped aloud before looking her suitor directly in the face.

"Sasuke-kun…" Her voice was barely audible. The anger in her eyes dissipated into pure, unadulterated love. Her lashes were thick with unshed tears, and her cheeks were a beautiful pale pink.

"It was my mother's" He told her softly. "Do you like it?"

"It's breathtaking." Sakura still couldn't speak louder than a whisper. Sasuke stepped closer to her.

"Will you keep it?" Sasuke prompted. When Sakura could only manage a nod as tears spilled over her eyes, Sasuke's eyes softened, and he continued on. "Then it's yours. It's a ring fit for the head woman of the Uchiha clan. It's fit for you."

Sakura laughed lightly despite the tears that trailed down her face. "I'm not head of it yet, Sasuke-kun." She raised her hand to cup his cheek.

"The sooner the better," he mumbled. When Sakura laughed again, he looked her dead in the eye. "I mean it. We'll be married by the middle of May."

"So soon?" She rubbed away the tears on her cheeks.

"I'm not patient enough to wait any longer for you." Sasuke grabbed her by her tiny waist and pulled her tightly to his chest. His lips brushed hers lightly, sweetly, before pulling back to look her in the eyes. "You will be mine soon."

Sakura was overcome with emotion. This wasn't the proposal of her childhood dreams. Sasuke was not declaring his everlasting love for her in a crowd of people, showering her with flowers and gifts galore. It was boundlessly more spectacular than that. The simplicity with which he gave her the ring, the sweet seclusion of the cherry blossoms, and the unadulterated, simple way he spoke to her was so Sasuke. She was not a little girl with an infatuation anymore, but rather a woman deeply in love.

"I've always been yours, Sasuke-kun." Her honest green eyes looked up at him, full of innocence and sincerity, and if he hadn't already been in love with her, that look would have done the trick.

And so the handsome Uchiha heir fiercely kissed his beautiful fiancée amidst the cherry blossoms, ready for their life together to begin.


	11. Chapter 10

_Chapter 10_

The first of their friends to find out about Sakura and Sasuke's confirmed engagement was Kakashi. When discussing who to tell first after breakfast with her parents, Sakura had blushingly suggested that Naruto should not be at the top of the list, as he had just spent his first night as a married man. Sasuke gave her a mischievous smirk, thinking of the blushes that would creep up on her cheeks on their first night.

Knowing that Ino was too much of a loudmouth, Tsunade was likely to threaten Sasuke, and Sai was incredibly awkward, Kakashi seemed the best choice. The couple made their way to the Hatake residence in Sasuke's open carriage. Sakura's hands were covered with white gloves, but she was well aware of the ring that graced her finger. Sasuke's mother's ring that was now hers.

Kakashi was, unsurprisingly, reading one of Jiraiya's infamously scandalous novels when the couple walked in to his parlor.

"Ah, Sakura. Sasuke." He greeted them. His mouth and his left eye were hidden beneath his mask, but his right eye twinkled with delight at the sight of Sakura clutching Sasuke's arm. "To what do I owe this unexpected but very welcome visit?"

Kakashi had a hunch that last night had gone very well for the young couple. Sakura was glowing blissfully with a shy look in her eyes, while Sasuke stood proudly next to her, a smirk gracing his mouth.

"Well sensei," Sakura began shyly before casting a glance to the man beside her. "Sasuke-kun and I are going to be married." Sakura turned back to Kakashi breaking out into a large grin.

Kakashi watched his two students for a moment. "Congratulations," his eye was smiling at them, the hint of a tear appearing at the corner. "I know you'll be happy together. Have you told Naruto yet?"

"Ah, no," Sakura chuckled. "We didn't want to disturb him."

"That's probably for the best. Have you set a date?"

"May 12th," Sasuke spoke up.

"Ah," Kakashi paused. "Well, then you two have a lot of work to do."

Sakura laughed at her sensei. It was so like him to worry about the little details at a time like this. The rest of the visit was spent discussing logistics. Plans for the wedding, for Sakura's move-in, and for the future began shaping themselves in Sakura's mind after discussion with her sensei.

"Ah, one more thing, sensei," Sakura stopped Kakashi as she and Sasuke began to depart. "We're not officially announcing the engagement until tomorrow night. You'll receive an invitation from my parents today. Please don't tell Naruto or Ino until then."

Kakashi felt his heart swell with pride. He was the first person they had told about their engagement besides Sakura's parents, and he couldn't help but feel special. "Your secret is safe with me."

Even Sasuke gave Kakashi a genuine smile at that moment.

* * *

The next night, at Sakura and Sasuke's engagement party, there were tears, hugs, and "I told you so"'s from everyone. Held in the Haruno's large outdoor brick patio, there was dancing and drinking available to celebrate.

Tsunade congratulated her student with pride that rivaled that of Sakura's own mother. Shizune squealed and hugged Sakura, promising to help with whatever wedding things she needed. Temari and Shikamaru gave them knowing smirks, while Gaara and Kankuro offered handshakes and respectful good wishes. Lee and Guy gave them thumbs up and lectures about "the beauty of youth and young love" until Tenten and Hinata's cousin Neji pulled them away with smiles and apologies. Ino lost her composure, threatening Sasuke to take care of her "beloved forehead". Sai asked Sakura if she were pregnant, earning him a punch from Sakura so fierce that Kakashi had to retrieve him from the nearby woods.

The reactions the couple appreciated the most, however, came from Naruto and Hinata. The newlyweds were already feeling over the moon about their own marriage; hearing about the marriage of their two close friends was just icing on the cake. Hinata had approached Sakura with tears in her eyes, throwing her arms around the pink haired woman.

"I'm so happy for you, Sakura-chan," Hinata told her as she pulled away. "You too, Sasuke-kun. You both deserve so much happiness." The beautiful smile on her face filled Sakura with joy.

Naruto, who had been standing watching his wife lovingly, turned to the couple as Hinata returned to stand by him. He clapped his arm on Sasuke's shoulder. The two shared a look that only brothers could. "It's about damn time, dattebayo!" He wiped away tears that were spilling out of his eyes. Knowing that two people he loved like family were finally going to be making each other happy the way they deserved overwhelmed him.

"Ah, Naruto," Sakura smiled at her sunny best friend and drew him into a tight hug. Sasuke smiled softly at his friends.

Everything was falling into place for the Konoha nine, and in that moment, Sakura and Sasuke felt as though nothing could ever change that.

* * *

The weeks leading up to the grand Uchiha wedding were a whirlwind for Sakura. Dress fittings, invitations, decorations, and all of the pieces that went into making a perfect wedding were overwhelming her. In addition to wedding errands, she was working daily in the hospital with Tsunade, developing new antidotes for poisons and continuing her research. Her saving grace was that at the end of these few weeks, she would finally be married to Sasuke.

Before she knew it, May 11th had approached. She was delivering a file to Tsunade that morning before she went home to finish packing all that was left of her room when she heard voices coming from the Hokage's office. She stopped right outside the door, listening to see if she would be allowed to interrupt.

"…totally foolish, you could have been killed, you idiot." Tsunade was scolding someone from behind the door.

"Ah, sorry, Tsunade." There was no mistaking Jiraiya's resigned voice apologizing to Tsunade.

"He's lucky I went searching for him," a snake-like voice hissed. Sakura almost gasped aloud at Orochimaru's voice. "He was half dead when I found him. But more of Jiraiya's foolishness later. It seems that the remaining Akatsuki members are buildinhgan army, and are intending to take down the Five Great Nations. They have captured almost all of the tailed beasts, with the exception of the Eight-Tails and the Nine-Tails."

"Is that their goal? To capture all of the tailed beasts?"

"They do not want to just capture them," Jiraiya interjected here. "I believe they want to bring back the ten-tails and utilize its power to achieve control of the world. The only way to stop them is to fight back, and take them down before they get their hands on Naruto or Killer B. They are not, however, fully prepared to fight yet. I'd say we have four months, maybe five. In this time, all the great nations will need to be preparing and training their armies to fight. It is imperative that no one nation makes a move alone."

"Fuck," Tsunade muttered. Sakura heard the clinking of glasses, and she knew her shisui was throwing back sake. "A Five-Kage summit will be arranged for next month. That gives everyone enough time to travel and meet in the Land of Iron. We will be preparing for war."

"Do you think you should inform any of your shinobi, Tsunade?" Orochimaru inquired lowly.

"Well, seeing as Sakura has been standing outside my door this whole time, I don't know if I have a choice."

Sakura heard footsteps coming towards the door, before it was opened by Jiraiya. He smiled and shook his head at her, motioning for her to come in. Orochimaru looked at her with interest, but said nothing to the soon-to-be wife of his former pupil.

"So, Sakura," Tsunade addressed her with a wry smile. "What do you think? Should the rest of the Konoha shinobi be informed?"

Sakura paused for a moment. "If you're wishing for utmost secrecy, then no. But if you're wishing to gain trust and support from your future army, then you should disclose as much as you can as soon as you can. Keeping this from everyone will only lead to rumors and illogical actions."

Tsunade pondered for a moment before nodding. "Shizune!" Tsunade yelled. The dark haired woman came running in a few moments later carrying Tonton in her arms.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama?" She bowed.

"Summon the Konoha nine, their senseis, and Team Guy immediately." Shizune nodded before running out.

"I will tell those involved in your wedding first," Tsunade mused. "I don't want there to be any surprises tomorrow. Everyone else will find out later today."

Sakura bowed, looking grateful. "Thank you, Tsunade-sama."

By noon, everyone had piled into the Hokage's office. Naruto was the last one in, and the moment he saw Jiraiya, he let go of Hinata's hand to tackle his sensei.

"Get off me, Naruto!"

"You missed my wedding, Pervy Sage!"

"Naruto!" Sakura pulled him off of the white-haired man with one easy pull of her hand. "This is not a time for your antics! Get it together!" She set Naruto back on the ground and he instantly ran back to Hinata. Jiraiya had already jumped up, so Sakura went to take her place standing next to Sasuke. He eyed her curiously, but did not say anything.

Sasuke was completely mystified. What in the world was so important that they all had to be summoned to the Hokage's office the day before his wedding? What were Orochimaru and Jiraiya doing here?

"I have summoned you all here to relay some rather important news." Tsunade clasped her hands together below her chin, elbows resting on the table. "As you all know, very few of the Akatsuki remain. It seems, however, that those left are more powerful than we ever could have imagined. It seems they have the intention of building an army to finish collecting all the tailed beasts and then taking over the world."

A few gasps came from Choji and Ino. Sakura felt Sasuke go completely rigid next to her. She reached out her hand to grab his. Hinata had turned to look at her husband, who was almost shaking with anger. She placed a gentle hand on his arm, and his relief at her touch was apparent.

"So what will our response to this be?" Kakashi pressed her.

"A Five-Kage Summit is being called for next month. It seems we have until October at the latest before the enemy is ready to fight. Their power is monumental. Because of this, no nation will be able to conquer them alone. Our plans will be discussed at the summit. For now, continue working as shinobi. Increase your training regimens, but do not let any civilian know that there is anything abnormal occurring. We are on the brink of war, which makes remaining calm and collected even more important than normal."

Tsunade paused. "And Naruto…do not allow yourself to become an easy target." The jinchuriki had gone stock still as his eyes bore into the Hokage's. "We need you more than ever. You are bold and eager, but in this case, you must not let those traits take over you. This is war."

Naruto simply nodded at her.

"For now, continue on in your normal social spheres. You are all dismissed. Remember, there is a wedding tomorrow." Tsunade threw a sly smile at Sakura and Sasuke, who were still holding hands. "I expect you all to be on your best behavior on my pupil's special day."

The shinobi began to file out of the Hokage's office, their faces all set seriously. They were darkly discussing what had just occurred, and it wasn't until Ino let out a small shriek by the carriages that they all stopped.

"Sakura! We're going to be so late! We have to go pick up your dress!" Ino pulled Sakura away from Sasuke, who began to mutter darkly about infernal blondes. Naruto began laughing at the glare Sasuke was giving the Yamanaka girl, and everyone slowly joined in. The blonde then motioned for Hinata and Tenten to join them. With a kiss to his cheek, Hinata disengaged her arm from Naruto's, making the jinchuriki glare at Ino as well.

"We'll see you tomorrow, everyone!" Ino yelled as the Haruno carriage began taking them away. Sakura made eye contact with her fiancée and threw him a smile. Realization hit Sakura like a brick. The next time she saw Sasuke, she would be walking down the aisle in the backyard of the Uchiha grounds to become his wife.

* * *

"Leave it to Ino to lighten the mood with something so trivial," Sai told his companions as they put their horses into the Uchiha stables. "She is an enigma."

"I just don't see why she had to take Hinata too," Naruto huffed.

"It's part of the wedding process," Kakashi told them. "You should know better than anyone about the amount of female bonding that occurs."

The men of Team Seven made their way to Sasuke's library. It was bigger than any other private library in Konoha due to the centuries of Uchihas who had helped contribute to its stock. There was a warm fire blazing in front of the comfortable armchairs and tables the men sat in, giving them all a cozy feeling.

"So, are you prepared for tomorrow, Sasuke?" Kakashi asked him while reading his usual novel.

"Hn," Sasuke affirmed. The Uchiha was not a patient man, and he had waited long enough to be married to Sakura.

"I doubt you're ready for tomorrow night," Naruto clapped his hand on Sasuke's shoulder and laughed. "Oh, you innocent little Uchiha."

Sasuke's face contorted with anger. Best friend or not, he would throw Naruto out on his ass if he made another remark

"Well, it's not like you were ready either, Naruto," Kakashi remarked. "You were stammering and blushing when we mentioned your wedding night to you."

Naruto turned red in the face before retorting "I was just nervous about Hinata's feelings! I know now that I shouldn't have been. That woman is something else."

All the other men turned their eyes curiously on to Naruto, who turned even more red. "I just mean that she wasn't scared or anything!"

Even Sasuke let out a small chuckle at his friend's embarrassment. The Uchiha then began to wonder about Sakura. Would she be scared? Usually, she was fearless. But she was also unpredictable. Would she be eager or reserved?

 _"Well, I'll just have to make her as…comfortable as possible."_ Sasuke chuckled internally. He would only give Sakura pleasure tomorrow night. There was going to be absolutely no reason for her to be scared, whatsoever.


End file.
